All That Really Mattered
by sheep1215
Summary: Eugene and Rapunzel are inseparable-So when laws of arranged marriages begin to tear them apart, what can they do to stop it? Needless to say, it's not going to be easy...especially when both their worlds are crumbling to pieces right before their eyes.
1. The News

**Hey everyone!**

**Ok, so I know on my profile I have a lot of one-shots planned, but the urge to write a multi-chapter story was just KILLING me (I do so much better with those)! Anyway, for a while, I had a severe case of writer's block and only had a few faint ideas buzzing around in my head. So I decided to put all of those ideas _together_ and VIOLA! This story unfolded. The title isn't spectacular, but I think it might apply later on in the story. :-)**

**Also, uh, I came up with the King and Queen's names myself-Those aren't their actual names. Just thought you should know.**

**I hope you like Chapter 1-Don't worry, as the story goes on, I think it'll get a LOT better, so hang tight.**

**SO ARE YOU READY?**

**You: "NOOOOOO!"**

**WHAT?**

**You: "Just, uh...just hang on a second..."**

***Starts filing fingernails...goes outside to jump rope for no apperent reason...drives all the way to Taco Bell for a burrito and then drives back home to the computer***

**You: "Okey dokey."**

**YES! Let us begin!**

**Again...I hope you enjoy it. More will be coming soon! Please review!**

**Me: *Knocks on Disney's door* Can I own Tangled now?**

**Disney: No.**

**Me: *Knocks again after two seconds* How about now?**

**Disney: No.**

**Me: *Breaks down door with my foot* HOW ABOUT NOW?**

**Disney: Can someone get a restraining order on this girl? That's the fourth time this week!**

***Security comes and drags Sheep1215 away***

**Me: How about now?**

**Needless to say...I don't own Tangled.**

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><p>A sigh escaped Queen Amelia's lips as she drew back the regal purple curtain and peered out the window over the castle courtyard. On most mornings, the Queen would open the curtains and gaze outside at nothing in particular, just letting the morning light refresh her and allow her to finally relax and think about life for a while. But today was different. This time, Amelia had her eyes on two figures out in the courtyard, and instead of feeling refreshed, she felt completely heartbroken.<p>

She watched in silence as one of the figures—a young woman with a lavender dress and short, pixie-cut brown hair—ran over to the edge of the courtyard fountain and plopped down on the rim, motioning for the other figure—a handsome man with flowing brown hair and a vest—to sit down next to her. With a shrug, the man complied, and walked over to the fountain, settling right beside her. The two talked for a while, all the while the young lady nestling her head against the man's chest, and occasionally, the man would kiss her hair lightly. Eventually, the girl jerked up, laughing at something the man said, which caused him to chuckle and flick water in her face. The girl quickly responded, and Queen Amelia could only laugh as her daughter shoved poor Eugene Fitzherbert into the fountain with a huge splash. But within seconds, her laughter faded into another sigh.

_How on earth am I going to tell her?_ she thought hopelessly, watching as Eugene rose, soaking wet, from the fountain and began chasing the princess across the courtyard. As Rapunzel ran, she threw back her head and laughed, and the Queen could hear her let out a squeal as Eugene finally caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, twirling her around. _Just look at her!_

She was so lost in her thoughts that a gentle hand on her shoulder gave her a jolt, and Queen Amelia whirled around to see her husband, the King, his expression tired and defeated.

"Did you find anything, Edward?" she asked pleadingly, gazing into his eyes. But his sullen expression already revealed the truth.

King Edward shook his head. "I'm sorry, Amelia," he apologized, pulling out a book and laying it on a nearby table. Queen Amelia watched, her heart sinking, as the King flipped through the pages and finally stopped on one, scrolling his finger down to a paragraph. "Everywhere I've looked it says the same thing. We may be King and Queen, but we can't repeal laws without the consent of the royal council."

"And they'd never go for it," Queen Amelia sighed. "You know how they feel about Eugene."

King Edward exhaled through pursed lips as he shut the book, and then he laid his hands on the table, gazing straight ahead in silence.

"But, Edward!" the Queen spoke up, taking her husband's arm and leading him to the window. She drew back the curtain once again, and the two of them looked down desolately at the two lovers in the courtyard. Eugene, still dripping dry, was now sitting with Rapunzel nestled in his lap, making an unsuccessful attempt to position flowers in her hair. He lay his hand back down in failure, and Rapunzel giggled, plucking a flower from her hair and sticking it in Eugene's. The two stared at each other in silence for a while, but then Eugene said something that caused Rapunzel to double over in laughter. Pretty soon, Eugene was laughing as well, and the more they laughed, the more it broke Queen Amelia's heart to see them. She looked over at her husband, who looked just as sad to be watching such a scene as this.

"Look at this," Queen Amelia pointed out, flinging out her arm towards the couple. "How can we tear that apart…for something as stupid as _prearranged marriages?_"

King Edward looked down with a sigh. "I…I don't know."

"There must be some way," the Queen was persistent as she went back to the book on the table. "After all, Rapunzel's suitor was chosen _years_ ago, when she was an infant! Couldn't laws have changed since then?"

King Edward walked over to his wife and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I think of all people, _we'd_ know, your royal highness."

Queen Amelia sighed for what seemed like the millionth time and finally shut the book, laying a hand on top of her husband's.

"I know," she turned to gaze up into his eyes. "It just…seems like we aren't even royalty any more. Like the council runs this kingdom and we don't. At least," she caught one last sight of Eugene embracing her daughter around the edge of the curtain, "not for the important things."

"I know how you feel," King Edward agreed. "But I'm afraid there's just nothing we can do. I can speak to the council about this, but I'm pretty sure I know what they're going to say. They'll say that Rapunzel needs to marry royalty, as her parents did before her, and so on and so forth. And like you said, their feelings towards Mr. Fitzherbert make it look like we shouldn't get high hopes about changing their minds."

"I suppose you're right," the Queen finally gave in. She walked back over to the window once again, sliding back the curtain all the way. Her daughter and the reformed thief were now laying in the grass, hand-in-hand, and a smile peeked through Queen Amelia's lips at the sight of the little orange flower still tucked into Eugene's hair. She turned back to face her husband, who gazed at her with crestfallen eyes. "I have to tell her. Now. Before word of this gets out and she hears it from someone else before we have a chance to explain." She turned back to gaze at the two figures in the grass. "She's…It's going to be hard. I hate to break up a moment like this, but if we tell her at the last minute, she'll never forgive us."

"Would you prefer if I told her?" the King asked.

"I'll call her in," Queen Amelia sighed. "We'll both tell her. Her reaction…I'm sure it's not going to be pretty."

King Edward took his wife's hands in his own and nodded. Queen Amelia responded with a fond embrace, which the King tenderly returned. The Queen thought how lucky she had been—she had actually fallen in love with the man whom, at birth, she was destined to marry, and it was true love as well. Then again, she had never loved another man before him, so she never had to experience that hurt of losing the one she truly cared about…

…Like her daughter would have to.

The two finally ended the embrace, and then, with one more nod, Queen Amelia turned and began walking down the hall, leaving King Edward standing behind in silence.

The hallway was huge, and practically empty. Every now and then the Queen would pass a guard or a servant or such, and they would give her a respectful bow. The Queen barely acknowledged them—she was so lost in her thoughts. How on earth was she going to tell her daughter that she would have to let go of the only man she'd ever loved for someone that she'd never even met?

Deep down, Queen Amelia felt like it was her own fault. Just a little while after Rapunzel's birth, the Queen was required to assign her a suitor, whom she would marry when she became of age. The Queen hadn't agreed with this one bit, but because of royal practices, she was forced to make a decision. She had decided on Prince Robert, of the kingdom of Crepacuore, because he was around Rapunzel's age and also, both Corona and Crepacuore were allying kingdoms—it would just be easier that way. After Rapunzel had been kidnapped—a memory that still sent chills down Queen Amelia's spine—the issue had never really come up again, because, honestly, who really knew if the princess was ever coming back? And as soon as Rapunzel had returned to Corona, people hadn't really mentioned the issue of Rapunzel's marriage either; they were too busy celebrating the return of their lost princess after all these years. But months had gone by, and the issue couldn't be avoided much longer. Rapunzel was practically an adult, and she was ready to marry. But the law stated she must marry royalty—the suitor assigned to her all those years ago. Little did anyone know that when Rapunzel came back, she wouldn't be returning alone. At her side would be Eugene Fitzherbert, or, as he was better known as all those months ago, Flynn Rider. The reformed thief had saved Rapunzel from her captor, and returned the lost princess back to her kingdom. But that wasn't all.

He had fallen in love with her.

Upon Rapunzel's request, the King and Queen welcomed him into the castle with open arms. They were so thankful to finally have their daughter back that, thief or no thief, this man was going to get the reward he deserved. Queen Amelia had to admit, she was a bit wary at first, as was Edward, but within just a few weeks she had seen Flynn's—or, rather, Eugene's—true colors. The former criminal had truly changed his ways, all for the girl he loved. And watching the two of them in the courtyard, Queen Amelia had no doubt of both the princess and the reformed thief's affections for each other.

And now, this news was going to tear them apart.

As much as Queen Amelia hated doing this, the law was the law, and there was nothing they could do about it. She knew. Edward had checked. And even though she wouldn't stop searching, even after they had told Rapunzel the news, deep down, she knew she probably wouldn't find a solution, nor persuade the council to change their minds about the law. As accepting as she and Edward had been to Eugene, the council was a whole different story. It seems they couldn't get their heads out of Eugene's criminal past, and were just waiting for him to slip up so they would have an opportunity to kick him when he was down.

The realization of it all was overwhelming—it didn't look like there was going to be any solution to this mess. Queen Amelia sighed once again as she laid her hand against the courtyard door. Should she really do this? Then again…what choice did she have? Either way, Rapunzel had every right to know. Taking in a deep breath, she slowly eased open the heavy door, and squinted as the sunlight flooded her vision. Her heart sank as she caught sight of Eugene and Rapunzel lying in the grass, and at the sound of the door opening, both of their heads perked up.

"O—Oh," Eugene stammered, quickly stumbling to his feet and plucking the flower from his hair. He bowed respectfully as Rapunzel rose to her feet. "Your highness…"

Queen Amelia held up her hand with a soft smile, and Eugene ended his bow with a slight chuckle. Again, her heart sank. For a thief, Eugene was always so respectful to her and Edward…Just another reason she hated to be the bearer of bad news.

"Hi, Mom," Rapunzel greeted the Queen with a smile, completely oblivious to the depressed feeling her mother felt eating away inside of her. Queen Amelia tried to keep up her smile, but she just felt so fake that she finally abandoned the act. Rapunzel noticed her sigh and gazed at her curiously. "Is…is everything alright?"

_Best to get straight to the point,_ the Queen thought, taking in a deep breath. "Rapunzel…Honey, your father and I need to have a word with you. Would you mind coming inside? It's quite…It's quite important."

"Oh," Rapunzel shrugged, the smile on her face still there, but not as cheerful. "Of course." She then turned to Eugene, who had been standing silently next to her. She stood on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, and then giggled as he pulled her into a hug and planted one on her forehead.

The sight was almost too much for the Queen to bear, and she almost felt thankful when Rapunzel pulled away from Eugene with a friendly wave. Then she trotted over to her mother's side, where she walked on with a smile on her face, completely unaware of the bad news she was about to receive. It seemed, almost, as if she had her head in the clouds, and she was in a whole different world.

And, draping a hand over her daughter's shoulder, Queen Amelia could barely hold back the pain she was feeling.

For she knew, within minutes, that world would come crashing down.

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><p><strong>Liked it? Hated it? Semi-whatever-sorta...OH, WHO CARES? REVIEW!<strong>

**Sorry. Didn't mean to boss you around there. *Ahem* _Please_ review. OR YOU'LL GET SOME OF THIS! *Unleases FRYING PAN FURY!***

**Yeah...You can probably see I like reviews.**

**More coming soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I hope you liked this first chapter, and like I said, it gets better, so hang tight!**


	2. No Way Out

**Hey!**

**Ok, so I hope these chapters aren't too boring...I know it's only chapter two, but still...bleh. Only reason I have these are to set up some of the action (Which, by the way, is coming up soon!)**

**Nevertheless, I hope you like it!**

**A few replies to your comments at the end of this chapter, by the way...**

**Reviews make me FREAK OUT-but in a good way! You don't know how happy I was to see I got 12 reviews in one day for just one chapter! YES! Keep them up, please! You don't know how much I appreciate it all!**

**Me: Ok, so I'll sneak in the back door, pick the lock, backflip over the laser security system, disable the cameras, then I'll snatch up the contract to owning Tangled and-**

**Disney: You know I can hear everything you're saying, right?**

**Me: Drat.**

**(Hehehe...I don't own Tangled.)**

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><p>Eugene sat, his back settled up against a tree trunk, letting out a breath as he twirled the little orange flower in his fingers. Rapunzel had been gone a long time…and he was starting to get a little worried.<p>

But then again, there wasn't really much to be worried about. Though the Queen wasn't all smiles when she had come out and asked Rapunzel to speak with her inside, how bad could the news be? As far as he'd heard, there were no wars…No real crime in Corona—Maximus had taken care of that—and there weren't any other troubles that Eugene could think of. Maybe he was overreacting. Yeah, that had to be it. But still, Eugene couldn't ignore the sense of anxiety churning in his stomach.

His fingers rose to where Rapunzel had kissed him on the cheek. Gosh, that girl was amazing. He still couldn't believe he had been lucky enough to love someone that _extraordinary_…and have her love him back. The feeling was just remarkable. He turned the little flower over in his palm, and then, with a small smile, stuck it back in his hair. Sure…because _that_ was fashionable.

He plucked the flower from his hair with a contented sigh and once again began twirling it between his pointer finger and thumb.

"Gosh, Blondie…" he chuckled, as if Rapunzel could hear him. "You are something else."

"_NO!_"

The angry cry jolted him out of his thoughts, and, confused, he rose to his feet and jogged cautiously over the doors that led inside of the castle. He pressed his ear against the door, though he didn't really need to do that—Rapunzel's voice was loud enough for him to hear across the courtyard.

"No, Mother, it's not fair!"

"Rapunzel—" Eugene could make out the sound of the Queen's voice, and could hear the loud clicks of her shoes as she ran down the hall after her daughter. He heard the sound of Rapunzel's bare feet stomping against the marble floor, and he backed away quickly. She was getting closer, and he didn't want to risk getting flattened by the door when it swung open.

"No, no—Both of you! Just leave me _alone!_" and with that last angry command, Rapunzel burst through the doors and fled across the courtyard, leaving Eugene baffled and concerned. Now, he was definitely worried. In an instant he was at her side, wrapping his arms around her small body, which was shaking with sobs.

"Rapunzel…Rapunzel, what's wrong?" he asked urgently. "What's going on?"

"It's not fair…" Rapunzel sobbed into his vest. "Just not fair…"

"Rapunzel, what happened?" Eugene's anxiety skyrocketed, and he tried to get the sobbing princess to look at him and give him an answer. She still wouldn't respond to his questions.

"This is just so wrong…It's that stupid, _stupid_ law! I can't…I can't—"

"_Rapunzel,_" Eugene said sternly, gently pushing Rapunzel's chin up so she would look into his eyes. "You're _scaring_ me. Please. Tell me what's going on."

"They…I—" Finally, Rapunzel just let out her last sentence in a burst of anger. "They're taking you _away _from me!" With that, she began sobbing once again, and Eugene's heart began pounding. What? What on earth had they told her? What was going on?

"Hey," he raised her chin once again, and peered soothingly into her tear-filled green eyes. "I don't know what they told you, but I'm not going anywhere. Now, what do you mean?"

"It's…it's an _arranged marriage_!" Rapunzel screamed furiously, her face red and stained with angry tears. "The law says, as a princess, I have to marry some stupid, moronic _suitor_ that my parents chose for me years ago! So like, a lord, or a knight, or that blue-blooded dim-witted _prince_!"

The news slammed against Eugene like a brick. An _arranged_ marriage? That just completely knocked the breath out of him. If she had to marry someone else…Oh, gosh, no…How was it they couldn't be together? Just when everything was so perfect…

He put his hands on the princess's shoulders and gazed into her green eyes, which were once again overflowing with tears.

"Well, Blondie, your parents are royalty," Eugene tried to think positively though unease gnawed away at him inside. "Can't they fix this?"

Rapunzel threw her hands in the air. "That's what _I_ said! But it turns out, they can't repeal a law without consent of the council—"

"Ah, my favorite people in the world," Eugene said sarcastically, realizing why the King and Queen's hands were tied. That council couldn't _stand_ him! Even though he had gone out of his way to be the best, most well-behaved house(or rather, castle)guest ever, they had always, just, _glared_ at him with that look of distain, as if they were just waiting for him to screw up.

Rapunzel sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. "I admit I could have been a bit nicer to my parents…after all, it wasn't really their fault; both of them said they hated it almost as much as I did. But still, can you blame me? I…I don't want to lose you!" Without warning, Rapunzel flew towards Eugene and threw her arms around him. Eugene quickly returned the gesture, holding her tighter and tighter as if she would evaporate into thin air at that very moment.

"I can't lose you, Eugene…"

"Hey, hey, it's ok…" Eugene soothed, though really, he was trying to console himself more than Rapunzel. But, really and truly thinking about it, everything was _not_ going to be ok.

Apparently, Rapunzel felt the same way, because her crying didn't cease. "No," she choked, "I don't want those other royal people….I don't want that prince—Eugene, I want _you_!"

"And you're not going to lose me," Eugene shook his head. "'Cause I'm gonna be right here. I'm going to go talk to your parents, right now, and we'll find a way out of this. It's going to be alright. Just trust me."

"But I have to meet this Prince Robert guy at the end of the week!" Rapunzel pointed out. "How on earth are we going to—"

Suddenly, Eugene cut her off with a kiss, which, though surprised at first, Rapunzel quickly returned. When they ended their kiss, Eugene stared at her reassuringly, even mustering a small smile.

"Just trust me," he repeated, wiping a tear from his love's eye.

Rapunzel nodded with a sniff. "Of course."

With one last embrace, Eugene turned and left the princess in the courtyard. As soon as his back was turned to her, however, he let his face fall. He had to be optimistic, for her, but in reality, things weren't going to be that easy. All he could do was just keep his fingers crossed and hope for the best.

As soon as he walked through the doors that led inside the castle, he spotted the Queen slumped against the wall, staring dejectedly at the ground with her arms wrapped around herself.

"Your highness?" Eugene asked softly. The Queen looked up at him with wide eyes and then rushed over to his side.

"How…how is she?" the Queen asked, wringing her hands.

Eugene shook his head. "Well, she's definitely no happy ray of sunshine…"

"Oh, Eugene, what do I do?" the Queen sighed, putting her hands over her face. "I tried to tell her that we had no choice, but she was too distraught to listen—and I can understand that. But I hate to see my daughter this way! And you…" her gaze fell on the young man and then back down at the ground. "Eugene, you're like family to us. I would hate to lose you as well. I just wish…I wish it hadn't come to this."

Eugene laid a gentle hand on the Queen's back. "Your highness—"

The Queen looked up at him and somehow was able to flash him a soft smile.

"Eugene, please," she said quietly. "We're past formalities. You can call me Amelia. It's alright."

Eugene was shocked. The _Queen of Corona_, asking him to call her by her first name? That proved it. She really _did_ think of him as family. And now, it seemed like Eugene wasn't speaking to royalty, but more of a family member or friend—trying to console her. Eugene sighed. If he couldn't find a way out of this, not only would he be leaving Rapunzel, but he'd be leaving both the King and Queen too, who had been so kind to him. As an orphan…Well, they were the closest thing to parents he had really ever known.

"Amelia…" Eugene said gently, "Uh…I actually, um—That's what I came in here for. I was going to see if there was anything I could do to help…to fix this."

The Queen's soft smile disappeared. "I'm afraid not," she shook her head. "Edward and I have looked _everywhere_…in every law book we own. And believe me, we own them _all._ But they all say the same thing: The King and Queen cannot repeal a law without consent of the council. And Edward's talked to them…They won't budge. I just don't know why they can't look past…well, your past."

Eugene had been wondering the same thing. No matter how well he acted, it seemed the council always saw him not as Eugene Fitzherbert, but Flynn Rider…Nothing more than a devious, deceitful thief.

"What exactly does the marriage law say?" Eugene asked. Maybe he could find a loophole. Then again, he wasn't really the master at _law_…His past actions said that well enough.

The Queen looked straight ahead and then began reciting the law word for word. It occurred to Eugene that, during this time of searching for a solution, she probably had read that law at least a million times.

"'In the kingdom of Corona, a prince or princess must be assigned a suitor within the first month of infancy. The suitor must be royalty, or in a royal status, to qualify for this position. The King and Queen are responsible for choosing their child's suitor, and are free to choose any royal member (who will be of appropriate age at the time of the child's marriage) in Corona or any other neighboring kingdom. Once a decision is made, the suitor cannot be changed due to the possibility of bias manipulation. The prince or princess is then required to marry said suitor once they become of age, unless uncontrollable circumstances hinder them otherwise.'"

"Uncontrollable circumstances?"

"Illness, laws from the other kingdom, that kind of stuff."

"Oh," Eugene sighed, discouraged. He was hoping it would be something he would be able to use to his advantage. "Anything else?"

The Queen shook her head sadly. "No, that's about it."

Eugene was silent for a bit, reciting the law in his head and trying to find any way—_any way_—to get them out of this position. But there was nothing. The only hope was that "uncontrollable circumstances" thing, but even _that_ was out of his control. It's not like he could, you know, make someone deathly ill or something. And even if he could, he wouldn't be that heartless.

Finally, the truth sunk in—there really was no way out.

Eugene rubbed at his forehead, his mind spinning. Earlier, things had been so perfect…with Rapunzel at his side, everything had been so beautiful…and now…

Now he was going to be shut out of her life forever.

"Eugene?" the Queen laid a concerned hand on the young man's shoulder.

"No—No, it's ok," Eugene said quickly, fearing that any sympathy would push him over the edge. "C—Can you tell me about this, uh…this prince guy? The suitor?" He figured if this guy was going to end up with his love, he wanted to know a little bit about him first.

"Not much," the Queen admitted. "The last time I saw him, he was an infant. Robert is his name, and he's the prince of Crepacuore, which is a kingdom not far from here. I only chose him…" she sighed, "I only chose him because he was Rapunzel's age at the time, and I was practically _forced_ to. Now that I think about it…Oh, gosh, I'm so stupid!" She put her head back in her hands again and, this time, started to cry.

The Queen's sudden change of emotion startled Eugene, and he comfortingly rubbed her back.

"Hey, hey, Amelia, don't talk like that. What do you mean?"

"I should have…" she gulped as she looked up, "I should have repealed that law when Rapunzel was a baby! I guess I didn't think it over seeing as it was, well, tradition…That, and I was just so happy my baby girl was alive…but, now…"

"Hey, it's ok," Eugene said gently. "It's not your fault."

The Queen took one last deep breath and wiped her teary eyes. "I…" she sighed and tried again, "Thank you, Eugene. I'm…I'm so sorry. Gosh…What are we going to do without you?"

Eugene sighed. He didn't even know how to reply to that.

The Queen shook her head. "Anyway, Robert will be visiting at the end of the week, and he'll stay for a little while. I just want Rapunzel to have an opportunity to meet her suitor before…" she gazed sadly at Eugene. "…You know."

Yes, Eugene _did_ know. And he hated it. He hated how he felt so helpless…he hated that there was nothing he could do…he hated the council…and he hated this law. But, more than anything, he hated himself. Yes, _himself_. He regretted every stupid theft he had done, and every crime he'd ever committed. If he could be with Rapunzel, all of his old dreams—wallowing in riches, his own personal island—they didn't matter anymore. But he couldn't, because the council would never look past all that he _had_ done. Because of his actions, he could never be with the girl he loved.

Never.

That was it. Eugene couldn't take it anymore. Before the Queen could say anything else, he quickly excused himself.

"I…I…I'm sorry, I—I need to go…"

Taking in a deep breath to hold back his tears, he raced down the hall, not really caring where he ended up. He just had to get away…away from this mess…

His feet led him outside, to the white balcony where Rapunzel had first met her parents.

Rapunzel…

That's when he lost it. Finally allowing the tears to fall, he slowly walked over to the edge of the balcony, leaning against the railing to keep himself from toppling over—he was so distraught, he felt dizzy. He closed his eyes, and tried to steady his breathing. But nothing could change what he had just heard. He felt like he was in a nightmare…but every tear that streamed down his face reminded him that this was real.

…Horribly, devastatingly real.

And Rapunzel…he had told her that she could trust him! Now what would he tell her? Now, when there was no way he could stop this…

_How am I going to tell her there's nothing I can do? I have no choice…once this Robert guy and Rapunzel get together for real, I have to go…I can't be part of her life anymore…_

That was what really sent him over the edge. The tears flowed more freely now, and inside, Eugene kicked himself for it. He. Did. Not. Cry.

But who in his situation could help themselves? He was losing the girl of his dreams to someone else…the love of his life…all he's ever wanted…gone, in the blink of an eye.

And he was helpless to stop it.

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><p><strong>I think Chapter 3 is going to be much better-If not, then chapter 4!<strong>

**As for all of your reviews...**

**Pamplemousse07: I know! I was thinking that EXACT SAME THING when I first came up with the idea-But then, the more I thought about it, I was like...grrrr...Why didn't that just happen in the beginning of the movie and save ALL THAT TROUBLE! So I decided not to go that route with this story. But that did come up in my thoughts, though! :-)**

**Sunnydayz56: Go on! TESTIFY! Hehehe...but seriously, if I was Flynn, I'd probably go that route...**

**Kittehkitty2: HA! Sorry for the torture...but thanks for reading-You always leave the most awesome reviews! ;-)**

**RadosianStar: To tell you the truth, no. I did start reading your story, but I never got around to finishing it. It wasn't that it wasn't good-it was actually very intriguing-I just got caught up in so much. I only got to about chapter 2 or 3. But maybe I should finish it, just to see where you might be noticing the similarites between yours and mine. Sorry if it sounds like I copied-It was just an idea I got, and I honestly didn't even know that your story might have a similar plot. Sorry! I think it will differ the deeper into the story you get. Thanks for reading!**

**Thanks everyone who reviewed! Keep it up!**


	3. Nothing

**Hey everyon-You know what? I start like, every A/N with this. You know what? It's officially backwards greeting day. You know why? Because I said so.**

**Enoyreve Yeh!**

**Sure...**

**Anyway, here's chapter three! I can't believe I finished this in a day...I was sick the other day and I fell asleep SUPER early. I woke up really late and I was like, "OH NO! I DIDN'T GET TO WORK ON CHAPTER THREE!" But don't worry. Here it is. Phew.**

**I hope this lives up to your expectations!**

**Oh, and thanks for all the amazing reviews! You don't know how much you inspire me. I thank all you guys SO much and really appreciate everything you have to say. (And to prove it, I'll be replying to some of your comments at the end of the chappie again...)**

**I hope you enjoy!**

**Oh, wait...is it backwards farewell day too? I gotta update my calendar...**

**Yojne uoy epoh I!**

**Hehehe...**

**Me: HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY HEY**

**You: OH MY GOSH! YOU'RE SO ANNOYING! WHAT?**

**Me: I don't own Tangled.**

**You: :-[**

**Me: I know right? Hey...what are you doing with that frying pan?**

***CLANG***

**Yeah...**

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><p>Today had been so perfect…Until disaster hit.<p>

Rapunzel lay in bed, gazing at the ceiling, completely unable to fall asleep. The things Eugene had told her earlier still echoed in her mind. There was really nothing they could do…He hadn't been able to think of any way around this…They couldn't be together anymore…

Rapunzel hadn't given up; immediately, after apologizing to her parents, she and Eugene had rushed to the library. Grabbing every law book they could get their hands on, they spread them all out on the table, flipping pages constantly, trying desperately to find an answer. For hours, they sat there in silence, though they both could feel the apprehension lingering in the air. Occasionally, they would exchange a few quiet words concerning something they had found, or a question they had, but otherwise, there was no sound but the flipping of pages.

Finally, Rapunzel had slammed the last book shut and put her head in her hands, fighting back tears. They had looked in every book they could find…in every manuscript, at every law. Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Minutes later, she heard Eugene shut his book and drop it back on the table, and she heard him breathe in deeply as he laid a comforting hand on the princess's back.

"Did you find anything?" Rapunzel had asked, looking up at him, though she already knew the answer.

Eugene shook his head and sighed. "Nothing."

"Nothing…" Rapunzel repeated, letting it all soak in. A stray tear finally escaped her eye and cascaded down her cheek, and pretty soon, others followed. Even though she tried to stay strong, she just couldn't help it. Barely able to blink or even breathe, she leaned into Eugene, and he wrapped his strong arms around her. She snuggled up against his chest, and once he gently kissed the top of her head, that's when she finally lost it. She burrowed her face in his vest, and swallowed as she took in his warmth…his heartbeat…every breath that he took…it was all so perfect…

And yet, it would be gone within just a short amount of time.

"This can't be happening…" she whimpered. "No…"

"Rapunzel," Eugene whispered, wrapping his arms even tighter around her. "I'm so sorry…" he lay his chin against her shoulder, and Rapunzel was surprised to find the wet drops of tears on her sleeve. Eugene…Was he…_crying_? He never cried! His tears just made her cry even harder. That meant it…there really was no hope. Not when strong, brave Eugene Fitzherbert was letting tears fall.

As if he had sensed her detecting his tears, he quickly wiped them away and sighed.

"So…What do we do now?"

"I…I don't know…But—Ugh!" Rapunzel drew back and shook her head, feeling even more distressed. "We have to find a way out of this!"

Eugene laid his elbows on the table and rubbed his face with his hands, then finally sighed with them over his eyes.

Rapunzel looked out the window at the nearly-night sky, and Eugene followed her gaze.

"Hey, Blondie, it's starting to get dark," he pointed out. "Maybe you should call it a night. It's been a long day."

"No, I—" Rapunzel protested, grabbing at another book at the table. She had already looked at that one, but maybe she had missed something…?

"Rapunzel," Eugene said gently, laying his hand over hers. "You need your rest. This day has been crazy…You need to sleep on things. You'll be able to think better in the morning. I'll keep looking. Don't worry."

Rapunzel looked gratefully at Eugene, who gave her a slight smile, despite all the circumstances. He was honestly trying to make her feel better—even though she knew that he was going through pain as well. But what hope was there? Deep down, Rapunzel knew that there was no point in looking anymore…and she was sure Eugene felt the same way. But she still wanted to keep looking—there was still that little inkling that maybe…just maybe…they could find a solution.

But Eugene was right. She needed her rest. Maybe tomorrow would be better. And even when that Robert guy got there at the end of the week, she would still find a way to keep looking. And if they couldn't find anything…Well, she didn't really want to think of that. Right now, she just wanted to think of Eugene. _Her_ Eugene.

"You're right," she nodded, and then she slowly retracted her hand from the book on the table and laid it in her lap. Suddenly, she threw her arms around Eugene's neck, never wanting to let him go.

"I love you, Eugene…" she whispered, the tears threatening to fall once again. "And I don't want this…"

"Neither do I…" Eugene replied, wrapping his arms around her once again. "But don't worry. We'll get through this. We'll find a way to get around the council. Even if I have to…smolder them into submission or something. We'll find a way out of this. It's gonna be ok."

Rapunzel let out a slight chuckle at his "smolder" comment. That was her Eugene, all right…and there was no way she could leave him.

"Good night," she finally whispered, letting go of Eugene. She leaned in to kiss him, and she closed her eyes as her lips met his. _How can this be happening?_ She thought as she savored the moment. _How can I let go…of this?_

All too soon, the kiss ended. Sadly bidding him farewell, she had left him in the library, praying deep inside that he would find an answer and there would be no worries tomorrow.

But as she lay in her bed, still awake in the dead of night, her hopes were beginning to fall. Those were all the law books they owned, and they all said the same thing. And it wasn't like there were any other books out there that they might have missed; the royal library had every law book ever written, and both Eugene and she had checked them all. Her parents had checked them all. They all said the same thing: The princess _had_ to marry royalty. And unless the council abolished that law, there was nothing anyone could do.

Nothing.

Rapunzel felt something cold against the side of her face and turned to see Pascal, his scales now a depressed color of blue, though the color was hard to make out in the darkness. Either way, she could tell he was as disheartened as she was. Pascal had actually come to _like_ the ex-thief, and Rapunzel also knew that Pascal hated to see her like this. But she couldn't help it. How could this be? Could she really let Eugene go? No. There was no doubt. If he was gone, it would be like he took half of her heart with him.

"Oh, Pascal…" she sighed, "…what do I do?"

The little chameleon's only reply was a blink of his sad eyes.

Rapunzel rolled onto her back once again, letting out another sigh. Even Pascal didn't know the answer. No one knew the answer. Was there really any way out?

It didn't look like it.

So Rapunzel did the only thing she could think of: She began to sing.

Her voice was quiet, but the melody of a song so familiar to her still echoed in her mind. But it still wasn't the same…She had even changed the words to match what she was feeling.

"_I've finally got a home; I'm where I'm meant to be…_

_I've got my true love here; he won't let go of me…_

_But now I ask myself, 'Hey, am I really free?'_

_'Cause I'm more trapped than I've ever been…_

_Please tell me…when will my life begin?"_

And after that, she somehow managed to drift into a deep, yet troubled sleep.

O-O-O-O-O

Never in her life had a week gone by so fast.

The next seven days had been nothing but Eugene. Eugene, Eugene, Eugene. Rapunzel just couldn't seem to keep away from him for a second. The young man didn't seem to mind—in fact, he seemed to enjoy their time together. They both did. In fact, they had to savor every moment—every _second_—that they had together, because they both knew that their time together would be short. That night, Eugene had stayed up practically all night searching, to no avail. The next morning, it had been the same result. And even the day after that, still nothing. Finally, Rapunzel had finally given up on the idea of finding some kind of miracle, and had instead focused on doing nothing but spending time with her beloved.

In fact, that Saturday, they were together out in the courtyard once again, where Rapunzel had first been called in to hear the horrible news. Rapunzel tried to push those memories to the back of her mind, and, miraculously, she had found a way to. But that was the good news. The _bad _news was that the only reason she was able to clear her mind of _that_ was because of a whole new problem:

Robert was coming today.

The prince of Crepacuore had been summoned to Corona and was supposed to arrive today. Rapunzel's parents hadn't been too fond of the idea, but then again, they hadn't been too fond of _anything_ concerning this marriage. In fact, the only reason they had invited Robert over was so Rapunzel would have an opportunity to meet him and learn a bit about him before randomly diving into a lifelong bond with him. It seemed like _no one_ seemed to know anything about Robert's personality, making him all the more mysterious and Rapunzel all the more anxious.

But Rapunzel shook her head and cleared her mind of the thought, instead focusing on what was going on in front of her. Her and Eugene were both lying in the grass again, both with a peach in hand. As Eugene quickly finished off his snack, Rapunzel savored the sweet fruit, which Eugene had picked himself. She giggled at Pascal, who was just a few feet away from her, trying unsuccessfully to swallow a peach whole. She turned back to take another bite of her own peach, only to find her hand empty. Confused at first, her gaze quickly fell on Eugene, who was looking around nonchalantly with his hands cupped in his lap.

"Eugene…" Rapunzel said as firmly as she could, though she couldn't help but smile.

"Huh, what?" he looked at her innocently, though the mischief in his smile said it all. "What—What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing…" Rapunzel sighed, rolling her eyes. "My snack just seems to have mysteriously _disappeared_…"

Eugene looked away, the smile still on his face. "Oh, well, that's _odd…_"

"Yep, it is…" Rapunzel grinned, playing along. "Do you have any idea where it went?"

"I'm not sure…" Eugene shrugged, his hands still cupped in his lap. "Maybe it walked away."

"Oh," Rapunzel let out an exaggerated sigh. "That's too bad. I was hoping you had it…"

Eugene looked at her. "Why?"

A huge grin spread across Rapunzel's face. "So I could do _THIS_!" Without warning, she sprung forward and tackled Eugene, who, caught completely off guard, tumbled to the ground, holding Rapunzel's stolen fruit over his head. Laughing, Rapunzel grabbed at the peach, but somehow Eugene was able to scramble out from underneath her. He bolted away from her, laughing, and Rapunzel scurried to her feet as she raced after him. Joyous energy surging through her being, she was able to catch up to him, and then threw herself on top of his back, wrapping one arm around his neck and blindly snatching at the fruit with the other one.

"Give it to me! Eugene—Eugene, give—" she couldn't even finish her sentences, she was laughing too hard. Eugene held out the fruit as far as he could, but he finally collapsed to his hands and knees, laughing.

"Ok, you got me! You got me! I surrender!" Eugene choked out, Rapunzel's arm still around his neck. "Now—Now get off! I—I can't breathe!"

"Not until you give me back my peach!"

"Fine!" Eugene smiled, throwing the peach over his shoulder and hitting Rapunzel square in the forehead.

"Hey!" Rapunzel cried out, laughing uncontrollably. The fruit forgotten, she collapsed onto the ground, holding her sides, she was laughing so hard. Eugene was laughing, too, and the whole courtyard was full of the sound of laughter. In fact, Rapunzel didn't even hear the courtyard door open. The only thing that got her attention was her mother's voice.

"Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel sat up, trying to catch her breath, and immediately, Eugene did the same. Rapunzel let out the last of her giggles, but then, when she caught sight of her mother's troubled expression, her face fell. The Queen's face said it all. It was time.

"He's here," the Queen said quietly.

Rapunzel's heart sank. Such a perfect moment…and then she was ripped back into reality. Eugene rose to his feet and helped up the princess, whose heart was pounding a mile a minute.

"I don't know if I can do this…" she whispered.

Eugene squeezed her hand reassuringly. "It's ok."

Rapunzel sighed, her stomach churning, as she looked up thankfully at Eugene. He gave her a soothing smile, and she gripped his hand tighter. No way was she going to let go.

She let down the other arm and allowed Pascal to scurry up onto her shoulder. She took in a deep breath, staring at the courtyard door that would lead to her mystery prince. Robert was inside the castle, and finally, she was going to see him; the man that, eventually, she would be forced to end up with. But no matter how spectacular he was, there was no way in a million years that she would _ever_ love him as much as Eugene. Of this, she was sure.

And, with one last deep breath, Rapunzel clutched Eugene's hand tightly as she made her way towards the doors that would ultimately lead to her future…

…whether she liked it or not.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it! Or maybe you didn't...either way, review! YEAH! *Does jazz hands*<strong>

**Seriously, though...I love all your comments.**

**Wickedsong: Well, in the next chapter, you'll finally get to meet Robert! Oh, and you'll see how he is...O.o By the way, love your long dramatic NO there! ;-)**

**PampleMousse07: Sorry! I guess it's just my style to write depressing-ness...and also suspense. AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE! But thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story-You'll see what happens.**

**EugeneAndRapunzelFitzherbert: Oh my gosh! I feel honored and sad at the same time! I'm not quite sure how I should feel...but still, I hope you like reading the rest of it! By the way, I ADORE your username!**

**EdwardBellaAndSasuSaku4Eva: One of the best Tangled fanfics? AW! Thanks!**

**RadosianStar: Oh, don't worry, I'm not offended! :-) And I hope you're not either. I read the rest of your story (It was amazing, by the way!) And one of the only similarites I saw was maybe the two princes' personalities. That, and maybe the mysterious foes near the end of yours...But other than that, looking good. Great story by the way!**

**Kittehkitty2: I've actually read a fanfic where Eugene cries, but you're right, it's not very common. But I would cry too, if I was in his situation! Heh...And yes! Write, write, WRITE! I can't wait to read the rest of your story! It's so gooooooood!**

**That should about cover it. More soon!**


	4. Robert

**Ha! Woah...This chapter is long.**

**Introducing: ROBERT! Yes, the moment you've all been waiting for...**

**Funny story about Robert...He's actually a character from a Disney-like screenplay I wrote a while back. However, the screenplay sort of fell through, so I decided that Robert would live on! :-)**

**Finally, a bunch of those questions will be answered...**

**Also, the reason this chapter is so long is because I wanted to get out enough to satisfy you guys because I might not be able to update for the next few days-It's just CRAZY!**

**Though I'll try to get out the next chapter as fast as I can.**

**Gimme an R! Gimme an E! Gimme a VIEW! What's that spell? I don't know, but you should review! ;-)**

**Sorry that I wasn't able to give shout-outs at the end of this chapter. I'm SUPER pressed for time. :-(**

**In fact, I'm just getting this chapter out by some miracle.**

**Though it would be a miracle if I owned Tangled...WHICH I DON'T! GRRRRRRRR!**

* * *

><p>Rapunzel gripped Eugene's hand tightly as she tried to steady her breathing with every step she took. She followed her mother down the hallway, which seemed like it would never end. She knew, at the end of this walk, she would run into Robert—a prince she had never even meant, yet, she would be bound to forever someday.<p>

She was terrified.

What would Robert be like? Would he be kind? Understanding? Cruel? Boring? Fun-loving? Maybe he would hate the marriage law just as much as she did. Maybe he had a girl that he loved back home…a girl that he was ripped away from, all because of these stupid rules. Then again, Rapunzel wasn't sure if the council in Crepacuore was like the one here in Corona, but still...One could never know.

_If that's the case…He can help us!_ A little ray of hope flickered inside Rapunzel. _If he hates the marriage law, I'm sure he'd be willing to help Eugene and I find a way out of this mess! And then everything's gonna turn out all right…Yes, that's what has to happen!_

A little smile peeked through her lips. That had to be the case. After all, who wanted to be forced into a marriage? Now she felt even more reassured that they would find a way out of this after all! Eugene noticed her change of emotion and looked at her curiously.

"You alright?"

Rapunzel nodded vigorously. "Yeah—just…yes. I just…Yeah."

Eugene shrugged at her vague answer but still gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

After what seemed like _years_ of walking, the end of the hallway finally appeared. Her mother laid a hand on a door embellished with the kingdom emblem, and Rapunzel breathed in deep, knowing that Robert was just behind that barrier.

_But,_ she reminded herself, _it's ok. Robert's going to hate this law, and he's going to help us. I'm sure of it._

"You ready?" her mother asked quietly.

Rapunzel nodded her head, butterflies fluttering furiously in her stomach.

"Yes," she whispered.

Rapunzel watched, unable to breathe, as the Queen slowly eased the door open and led her daughter and Eugene into the grand foyer. The first person she spotted was her father, accompanied by a few of the royal guards.

And then she saw _him_.

Robert.

How could she miss him? He was dressed so flamboyantly! His outfit was striped with a horrible clash of green and red, and his sleeves puffed out to about the size of his head. The buttons down the front of his gaudy outfit were actually gemstones, Rapunzel noticed, though it was hard to tell amidst all the garish stripes of his poofy suit, and the whole back of the outfit was covered by a long, red, silk cape. And if that wasn't enough, his crown was just as extravagant—Instead of a simple round crown like King Edward's, this crown poofed up so much, Rapunzel was surprised Robert could even balance it on his head. The crown, which also donned the disgusting green-red stripe pattern, was encased and held together with what seemed like rods of gold, making it look like it was about to burst from its confinement any second. Rapunzel's eyes widened. He looked like a court jester!

Eugene seemed to read her thoughts, because he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "What kingdom did they say he was prince of again? Prince of the colorblind tailors?"

Rapunzel nudged him to keep him quiet, though she couldn't help but giggle. At the sound of her laugh, Robert whirled around, and Rapunzel finally got a view of his face. As if his outfit wasn't enough...Robert had brilliant blue eyes—almost too vivid to even look at without getting a headache—an abnormally pointy nose that reminded Rapunzel of one of Eugene's wanted posters, straight blonde hair down just about to his shoulders, and dazzling white teeth that were almost blinding—Rapunzel saw that when the young prince flashed her a huge, regal smile. It seemed as if that was supposed to be his version of the smolder or something…Whatever. It just made Rapunzel feel uneasy. It wasn't that Robert was ugly, because he wasn't. Just very loud-looking…and he had this air about him that Rapunzel didn't like one bit. There was only one way she could describe it…Prince-like.

Still, she tried her best to force a smile as she approached the young prince. Maybe Robert wasn't anything like the way he dressed. She hoped so, at least. She had to at least give him a chance.

Robert was the first one to speak up. "Why, _hello_, Princess!" Rapunzel could barely stop herself from wrinkling her brow at his odd accent. She couldn't place it at all, but it just reinforced his…ugh…his prince-likeness.

"Um…Hi, Robert," Rapunzel greeted him nervously, letting her hand fall from Eugene's and giving the prince a small wave.

Suddenly, Robert grabbed Rapunzel's hand and the princess let out a yelp as Robert dropped to one knee, pulling her down with him. Before she could react, the prince immediately began kissing her hand, much to her revulsion. Her eyes widened nervously and she looked over her shoulder at Eugene. She could tell her boyfriend was trying his best to stay calm, but Rapunzel couldn't ignore Eugene's clenched fists and the fire in his eyes as he looked at the prince, even though he was working hard at hiding it.

Rapunzel pulled away, and Robert rose up and gave her a bow.

"_Milady_," he said with a wave of his arm. "I am Prince Robert of the kingdom of Crepacuore. And I am delighted to make your acquaintance."

"Pleased to meet you, too," Rapunzel said quietly, looking away. She _wished_ Robert was to become nothing more than an acquaintance…But still, first impressions weren't always reliable—With Eugene, she knew that from experience. Taking in a deep breath, she decided that Robert maybe just needed a little bit of time…

Pascal, whom Rapunzel had almost forgotten was on her shoulder, let out a squeak, and Robert gasped in disgust and reeled back at the sight of the chameleon. Before Rapunzel could react, he flung back his hand and batted the chameleon off of her shoulder, and Rapunzel dove forward with a gasp, just able to catch Pascal before he tumbled to the ground.

"What the heck was that for?" Rapunzel screeched, holding Pascal protectively.

"There was a _toad_ on your shoulder!" Robert cried out, wiping his hands frenetically on the front of his outlandish outfit.

"Correction," Eugene spoke up for the first time since they had entered the foyer, "it's a _frog_, not a toad."

"And it's not a _frog_," Rapunzel looked over her shoulder at Eugene and gave him a joking look. "It's a chameleon." Her gaze turned back to Robert. "He's my friend—His name's Pascal."

"Oh…" he said, not even looking at Pascal. In fact, he was staring at Eugene, whom he had just seemed to notice. By the way he was looking at the ex-thief, it seemed like _he_ was the creature Robert had mistaken for a toad. "I see…"

"Oh," Rapunzel let out a nervous chuckle. "Robert, this is Eugene." She took Eugene's arm and gently led him forward. "He's my, um, he's…uh…" Suddenly, the princess was at a loss for words. She didn't want to make it seem like she was in a romantic relationship with Eugene, even though she very well was, but she also didn't want to brush him aside like he was nobody, either. She bit her lip, and was thankful when Eugene finally spoke up.

"I'm a friend of hers," he explained with a nod. He cleared his throat and tried to be polite. "Pleased to meet you."

Robert's disdainful gaze didn't change. "Indeed…" he muttered, trailing off.

Suddenly, the room fell silent, and Rapunzel shifted anxiously as she found herself caught between the two men, who were both staring stonily at each other. She had no clue what to say now, and just found herself looking at her feet. Finally, the awkward silence was broken by the voice of the Queen, who came up and laid a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder.

"Rapunzel," she informed her, "Robert has requested that you join him for lunch in the Dining Hall this afternoon."

"It would certainly give us a chance to get to know each other," Robert said with another one of his pearly white smiles. Before Rapunzel knew it, he had already slipped his hand into hers, and she felt her heart stop and her stomach churn. Everything about this felt wrong. Especially with Eugene standing _right there._

But what else could she do? It's not like she could refuse. With as much of a smile as she could muster, she accepted his invitation. "Sure…I guess."

"Splendid!" Robert grinned, gripping her hand even tighter. It took everything Rapunzel had not to pull away. "Why don't you get rid of Pasco there and then we can be on our way?"

"Oh…" Rapunzel murmured, looking down at the chameleon in her other hand. The little reptile was slowly beginning to turn an angry hue of red as he glared at the blonde-haired prince.

Suddenly, Eugene came out from behind her and gently took Pascal in his hands. "It's alright," he whispered, "I've got him. Go ahead."

Rapunzel nodded without saying a word; her gaze was stuck on Robert's hand locked in hers. How she wished that was Eugene's warm, familiar grasp instead of the gloved prince's awkward hand. But still, there wasn't really anything she could do. What choice did she have? Taking in a deep breath, she was finally able to full her gaze away from their intertwined hands and instead looked at her bare feet.

"Now then," Robert smiled at her, "Shall we go?"

"Ok," Rapunzel murmured, her voice barely audible. Her mind elsewhere, she stared at the ground as Robert led her towards the doors out the foyer. It was almost as if she was not even in control of her own body—just reluctantly going along with whatever was going on. And right then, she was being taken against her will _away _from Eugene, and being forced to spend time with this guy that she'd just met and already couldn't stand. She kept telling herself that it might get better…it might get better…Well; it certainly couldn't get any worse.

Before they exited the foyer, however, Rapunzel looked over her shoulder and stole one last glance at Eugene, who tried to reassure her with a small smile. But even that smile couldn't mask the obvious pain in his amber eyes.

Rapunzel sighed. Right then, she wanted nothing more than to run into his arms.

O-O-O-O-O

Why did those stupid doors have to be so thick?

Eugene pressed his ear against the oak door and tried his best to listen in, but still, it wasn't easy. Even though the hallway was dead silent, Eugene could only make out bits and pieces of what was going on in the dining hall between Robert and Rapunzel. But from the sound of it, Robert was doing most of the talking.

Suddenly, Pascal, who was peering around the corner at the end of the hallway, let out a squeak of alarm. Immediately, Eugene whirled around from his position at the door and peered out a nearby window, acting as if he was enjoying the scenery as a couple of guards passed him by. The guards gave him no more than a curious glance, but then, once seeing that he wasn't causing any trouble, simply continued on their way.

As soon as they had disappeared around the corner, Eugene gave up the act and slumped against the wall with an exasperated sigh. Rubbing his face with his hands, he tried to piece it all together.

Ugh…Robert. From the moment Eugene had walked through that door and spotted that _clown_, he knew they were going to butt heads. Sure, he hated the idea of _any_ other man with his Rapunzel, but at least if it was someone fun-loving and down to earth and good to her he would be able to tolerate it. But this Robert guy…ugh. He couldn't stand him. Not for a moment. Anyone who looked like a Christmas-colored marshmallow was _definitely_ not the guy for Rapunzel.

No. He couldn't tolerate it. It almost made him want to punch something.

But the problem was, he _had _to tolerate it.

No matter what he did, there was no way he could end up with Rapunzel. And to make matters worse, he couldn't even find another prince—a _better _prince—for her anyway, because this was the suitor chosen at birth. Granted, Rapunzel's parents hadn't known any better, but still…This guy was beyond irritating.

_Calm down, Eugene,_ the young man coaxed himself. _Maybe it's not all bad. Maybe the guy was just acting like an idiot 'cause I was there. Or…maybe I would have reacted that way with any prince, Robert or not. Just…_ He groaned, and, before he could stop himself, slammed his fist against the wall.

His heart froze as he realized that Rapunzel and Robert may have heard him, but at that point, he really didn't care. He shook it off and put his back against the wall, sliding to the ground with a sigh. Pascal, noticing his dejection, scurried over to his side and let out a squeak.

"I know, Pascal," Eugene sighed. "It's just…what can I do about it? It is what it is. Who knows? Maybe Rapunzel will end up liking him…" Eugene looked away with a slight chuckle. "And now I'm…talking to a frog. Look at me. I'm going crazy."

Pascal was just about to reply when the Dining Hall door flew open, and Eugene scrambled to his feet as Rapunzel stormed out of the room.

"Wait, Princess!" Eugene could still hear Robert calling her until his voice was cut off by the heavy door closing.

"Hey, Blondie," Eugene quickly rushed to her side. "Are you ok?"

"Oh, yes, sure, I'm just _perfect_!" Rapunzel growled, fire in her eyes. "Seeing as I have to marry _him!_"

Uh, oh. Immediately, Eugene's protective side kicked in. That moron had the nerve to do anything to Rapunzel…Eugene held her close. "What did he do to you?"

"He's just so _self-centered!_" Rapunzel said with a stomp of her foot. "A snob is what he is. He wouldn't even let me finish _one sentence!_ It was always 'I'm so great' or 'I'm so magnificent'!" She scoffed. "Can you believe he started bragging to me about all the _girls _he's dated?"

"You've got to be kidding me," Eugene sighed, rolling his eyes. Figured someone like Robert would start raving on all his past relationships with his _future wife!_

"He even tried to kiss me!" Rapunzel continued. "I just _met him_! Does he really think I wanna kiss—"

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Robert came out, looking around. When he spotted Rapunzel in Eugene's arms, he tried to give a charming smile, but the resentment in his eyes was obvious.

"Princess! I—"

"I need a moment," Rapunzel cut him off, breaking free from Eugene's grasp and running off angrily down the hall.

O-O-O-O-O

Rapunzel sighed as she heard the grandfather clock chime 7:00. A "moment" had turned into five hours.

Rapunzel lay, sprawled on her bed, not even wanting to move. Earlier, Robert had come to her door and tried to convince her to come out with that obnoxious accent of his, but she had stayed completely silent and, after what seemed like _forever_, convinced him that she was asleep and finally got him to stop yapping and leave.

She sighed as her stomach let out a growl. Even at that lunch with Robert, she hadn't eaten much of anything, and she was _starving_. But there was no way she was going down there. Not with that jerk downstairs.

Robert…So much for her plan. Honestly, she had had really high hopes that he would be in the same predicament as Eugene and she, but so far, nothing had hinted that. Aside from all the other twenty million girls he'd dated…

She sat up and pulled her knees close to her chest. How on _earth_ was she supposed to choose Robert over Eugene? A single tear slipped down her cheek. Oh, come on—she had cried more in the last few days than she had in the last decade, it seemed. But she just couldn't help it.

How could she live without him?

Suddenly, a rap on the door knocked her out of her stupor. Fearing it might be Robert, she contemplated pretending she was asleep again, but then he would go off on another one of his rants outside the door. Better to just tell him off now.

"Who is it?" she said stonily.

"It's Rumpelstiltskin," the goofy yet familiar voice replied from the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

Rapunzel couldn't help but smile as she flopped back down on the bed. "Sure…Anything's better than that Prince Snobert."

"I couldn't agree more, Princess," Eugene chuckled as he eased open the door. Shutting it behind him, he approached Rapunzel with a smile, hiding something behind his back. As soon as he reached the edge of her bed, he sat down, surprising her with a small, frosted cupcake.

"Eugene," she gasped, taking the treat. Oh, gosh, she was _so_ hungry! She bit into the cupcake, but then stopped mid-chew. "Wait, did you steal this?"

"There's a difference between stealing and swiping," Eugene grinned.

"Ah," Rapunzel didn't object, instead taking another bite of the sweet surprise. "See, this is why I love you."

"Who wouldn't love a face like this?" Eugene said, giving his best smolder. Rapunzel laughed.

"Robert," she pointed out. "It seems he can't stand you."

"That's because he knows he's no match for my charm and rugged good looks," Eugene bragged, sweeping back his hair. "Besides, his outfit's not the only thing full of hot air."

"You can say that again."

"I say, next time you see him, take a frying pan to his head."

"It won't work," Rapunzel shrugged. "His head's too _thick_. It won't even make a dent."

Eugene chuckled and tapped his head. "Yeah…I'm still getting over our _first_ little encounter with your friendly little cooking utensil."

Rapunzel giggled again, but then she sighed as she slumped against her love. "Eugene…how on earth are we going to make this work? I'm not…" she sighed and gazed sadly into his eyes. "I can't lose you again."

"You won't," Eugene shook his head, stroking the young princess's hair. "I'll always be right here."

"Eugene…" Rapunzel shifted uneasily, leading up to a question that had been on her mind. "After I marry…marry Robert," she hated to say it, "What…What's going to happen to you? They won't do anything to you, will they?" Her eyes widened in fear.

"Blondie, I _told _you," Eugene gazed reassuringly into her jade green eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. No matter what happens, I'll always find a way to get back to you. I'm not going to leave you. I'm staying right here."

"Forever and always?"

"Forever and always," Eugene kissed the top of her head. "I promise."

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><p><strong>Awww...<strong>

**Now I feel sad.**

**But anyway, I'm assuming most of you hate Robert-(If there's a Robert lover out there, I'm gonna freak) so vent your anger in a review! Hee hee...I know a lot of you had predictions for how he was going to act, so why don't you tell me what you think?**

**More soon...I'll try.**

**CURSE YOU LIFE AND YOUR BUSYNESS! ;-)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	5. Competition

**Hola everybody!**

**Ok, I told you I wouldn't be able to update for a while and uh...there was a reason for that. I actually went on vacation to DISNEY WORLD! YEAH! Anyway, my top priority, of course, was to meet Flynn Rider (and possibly tackle him). So I was SUPER excited about that. So we went to Magic Kingdom, went to this AMAZING setup they had for Eugene and Rapunzel (It was incredible-Castle, floating lanterns, everything) AND...**

**TWO. HOUR. WAIT. LINE. **

**I wanted SOOOO bad to meet them, but everyone else was like, "Uh...no way." So, needless to say, I only got to see them from like, a fourty foot distance. Good thing my camera had good zoom. And a friend and I screamed at Flynn and I think he looked at us! EEP!**

**So yeah, that's my excuse for not updating. Please don't kill me!**

**Hey, uh, quick question. Are my characters OOC? They just seem like they are...Are they? Thanks.**

**I hope you like this chapter. The ending is a little bit different than what I had planned, but I'm satisfied with it. I think you'll like it nonetheless.**

**So here you go!**

**And this chapter, to make up for not updating for a while, I have the chapter replies at the end of this chapter again! YAY!**

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><p>The second he woke up that next morning, Eugene knew that his day was going to be horrible.<p>

For one, Rapunzel hadn't been the one to wake him up that morning. For once, he had woken up on his own. Almost every single morning Eugene would awaken to the joyous princess shaking him gleefully, ready to dive into a new day. He would ask himself how the heck someone could have that much energy in the morning. Some days, it was really annoying, he had to admit…But now, hearing nothing but silence in the place of his beloved's voice, and opening his eyes to see the empty room before him, his heart completely sank. Rapunzel was nowhere to be found, and Eugene knew exactly why:

Robert.

No doubt that prince had snatched her up first thing in the morning to drag her unwillingly to breakfast or something. Eugene sat up and rubbed his face with a moan. Just to think that poor girl was stuck with _Robert_…Or as Rapunzel had nicknamed him, Prince Snobbert. Eugene chuckled. Well, that name was way more fitting.

Still a bit groggy, he rose from bed and flung open the window. Letting out a sigh, he gazed out at the spectacular view of Corona. He could get used to a view like this.

Too bad he'd never get a chance to.

As much as Eugene hated to admit it, he would have to leave the castle as soon as Robert proposed to Rapunzel, if not sooner. No longer would he wake up in a gorgeous castle room every morning, or be able to take in a view like this right by his bedside. But the last thing he'd be leaving was what saddened him the most.

Rapunzel.

How on earth did they expect him to live without her? She was his _world_. Without her, he'd just be so…so…

"Empty…" he breathed the word out loud, clutching onto the windowsill for support. "Oh…Rapunzel…" He swallowed and shook his head. No. This was ridiculous. He had promised himself he wouldn't cry about this anymore. He _had_ to stop…For Rapunzel.

He'd do whatever he could to make her happy. Whatever it took. She was the most important thing to him, and he repeated that to himself over and over again as he got dressed and prepared himself for the day ahead. Taking in one last deep breath, he opened the door to his room and began walking down the hall. He'd go out into the courtyard to ease his nerves, or perhaps see if he could take Maximus out for a ride. As long as Rapunzel was with Robert, he needed to find something to keep his mind off things.

While wandering aimlessly down the staircase that led to the bottom of the castle, he ran into none other than Rapunzel herself. Her presence surprised him for a moment, seeing as he was still tired and half-expecting her to be out with Robert.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel greeted him with a hug, but quickly shrank back as Robert came striding up the staircase. His outfit was almost identical to the one that he had worn the day before, but now, instead of green and red, the stripes were blue and gold, and he donned a now-gold cape. The stripes of his crown also matched marshmallow suit number two, and Eugene wondered if he had a different set of colors for every day of the week. Probably. Anyway, Eugene still thought he looked like an overstuffed pillow on the verge of explosion.

The blonde-haired prince placed both hands on Rapunzel's shoulders, and Eugene could see she was trying her best to suppress a shudder.

"Hello, Princess!" Robert looked at Rapunzel and grinned. Then, his gaze snapped to Eugene and the smile completely vanished. "Hello…Eugene," he greeted disdainfully.

Eugene responded with a nod, but his eyes were still locked on Rapunzel's troubled green ones.

Silence filled the air until Rapunzel finally spoke up, trying her best to smile. "So, Robert, um…did you enjoy breakfast?"

"Absolutely not," Robert spat, and Rapunzel's mouth dropped open. "I don't know what excuses for cooks you have back in there, but that meal was positively atrocious. The sausage was overcooked, the eggs, absolutely tasteless, and just…everything was dreadful." Robert turned to Rapunzel and once again donned his huge pearly white grin. "The only thing that made it worth it was having you there, Princess…" Eugene saw Rapunzel bite her lip as Robert slipped both of her hands into his own.

Eugene exhaled, trying his best not to pummel this guy. Not only was he stuck up and arrogant, but now he was complaining about the food? Living as an orphan for most of his life, Eugene knew what it was like to not even _have_ food. When he had gotten to the castle, not only had he been amazed at the amount and the variety of food here, but also, the quality. The food was spectacular, and the chefs were the most fantastic cooks Eugene had ever met. So why was it now that Robert was putting them down? This guy was ridiculous.

Apparently, Robert didn't notice everyone's stunned reactions, because he still wore his wide, charming grin. "So, my dear…Ready to go?"

"Actually," Rapunzel sighed, stealing a sideways glance at Eugene, "Robert, I was wondering if you would just give me a few minutes to speak with Eugene, if that's alright."

_Now_ Robert's grin disappeared. He looked, eyes wide, at the brown-haired princess, and then disgustedly at the young man next to him.

"But…Princess!" Robert objected. "We're supposed to be going for a walk! You just came up here to grab something and then we could go!"

"It will only take a second, really," Rapunzel continued. "Please?"

Eugene finally spoke up. "Hey, Robert, it's alright…I'll bring her back as soon as—"

"This doesn't concern you," Robert snapped, brushing Eugene away.

"Robert!" Now it was Rapunzel who protested.

"No, Rapunzel, it's ok," Eugene said quickly, shaking his head. "You guys go ahead."

"No—" Rapunzel turned angrily to Robert. "Robert, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go speak to Eugene now."

And before Robert could react, Rapunzel grabbed Eugene's arm and pulled him down the staircase, leaving the dumbfounded prince behind.

O-O-O-O-O

"Two weeks to a _month?_" Rapunzel threw her hands in the air. "Can you believe that? Eugene, I don't think I can take it that long! It's only the second day, and I already can't stand him!"

"Believe me, you're not the only one," Eugene agreed.

The two of them had finally escaped to the courtyard, after leaving Robert standing alone on the staircase. Hand-in-hand, the two lovers walked, and Eugene was so glad that Rapunzel's hand was back in his and not in that conceited prince's stuffy glove again.

"And cutting you off like that?" Rapunzel shook her head and groaned. "I just can't _believe_ him!" She turned to face Eugene. "Eugene, he complained about the food, he complained about the servants, he complained about Pascal…" She looked down at her outfit. "He even complained about my dress! Do you know how embarrassed I felt?"

Eugene froze in his tracks and looked at her reassuringly. "Well, you don't believe any of that stuff he says about you, right? I mean, anyone who dresses like _that_ obviously has no fashion sense at all."

Rapunzel giggled. "I guess you're right."

Eugene wrapped his arms around Rapunzel's waist. "Besides, I think you look…" he gently kissed her forehead and gazed into her gorgeous green eyes. "…Beautiful."

Rapunzel looked up at him with a grateful smile. "Thank you."

For a second, none of them spoke. Eugene smiled, breathtaken at the sight of that stunning, beautiful girl in his arms. He was so lucky to have her…even if it was only for this moment. Of course, a moment was never enough, but he would cherish every second.

Because every second might be their last together.

He held her tighter as she laid her head against his chest, and together, the two of them swayed with the breeze—to a silent rhythm that no one else could hear.

"I love you," Eugene whispered. "No matter what happens. I'll always love you."

"And I'll always love you…" Rapunzel replied. "It doesn't matter who I'm with, or what happens. You'll always be mine."

"And you'll always be my new dream."

Rapunzel looked back up into his amber eyes, and Eugene could scarcely breathe. Oh gosh…such a perfect angel in his arms…

"Don't leave me, Eugene," Rapunzel pleaded. "Please…don't leave…"

"Rapunzel," Eugene tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I promise, I'll do whatever I can to make you happy."

The young princess smiled up at him thankfully.

"Princess…Rapunzel?"

At the sound of the voice behind them, both the princess and the ex-thief whirled around to spot a maid standing in the courtyard doorway.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she said quietly, "but Prince Robert has requested your presence in the west wing."

"Oh," Rapunzel sighed, her face falling as she pulled away from Eugene. "Of—Of course."

"You go ahead," Eugene said with a nod. "I'll head back to my room before Lord of the Cotton Balls sees us together again."

Rapunzel giggled, but her smile faded as she slowly removed her hand from Eugene's.

"If you want," Eugene shrugged, "I can walk with you until we get there."

"Yes, please," Rapunzel nodded.

With a smile, Eugene draped his arm over Rapunzel's shoulder and felt his heart skip a beat as her hand touched his. Just like that, they walked, following the maid towards the courtyard door. Eugene breathed in, taking in every second he had left with this amazing girl, 'cause he knew their time together was coming to an end.

Suddenly, as they walked through the courtyard door, Eugene felt a yank on the back of his collar. He stopped dead in his tracks, but Rapunzel walked on after the maid, completely unaware of Eugene's sudden halt. Whirling around, Eugene was surprised to spot none other than Robert, emerging from the shadows of the pillars of the wall.

"Before you go, _Eugene_," he spat out the name like it made him sick just to speak it, "I'd like to have a word with you."

"You don't have to be so secretive," Eugene said, rubbing his throat where the collar had jerked against it. "Or aggressive…"

"Oh, please," Robert said with a flick of his hand. "Do you really think the princess would let me take you off alone? She'd probably think I'd do something horrible to you." His eyes filled with flames of anger. "And believe me, I want to."

Eugene's gaze snapped to the prince, and he narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't try to hide it," Robert's icy blue eyes and Eugene's blazing amber ones turned into a battle of fire and ice. "I know you and the Princess are more than just 'friends'. I see through your little ploy."

"It's not a ploy," Eugene said through gritted teeth. "I admit it. I love her. And everything was fine until you showed up. I'm just trying to do what's best for _her_, and keep her out of trouble."

"So you admit that her marrying _me_ is what's best for her?" Robert retaliated, a grin of triumph spreading across his face.

"What's best for Rapunzel is whatever makes her happy," Eugene leaned in close to Robert's face, and the disgusted prince leaned backwards. "With or without me. That just proves that I _do_ care about her."

"But the question is, does she care about _you_?"

The question caught Eugene off-guard. Of course Rapunzel cared about him! She loved him! Or was that just an image that he had constructed to make himself happy? No. That was ridiculous. Rapunzel had said she loved him. She had pulled him into their first kiss. Heck, she had been willing to spend the rest of her life locked away like a prisoner just so he could live! There was no doubt in Eugene's mind that she cared about him, and he cared about her. He felt his fists clench as he glared at the arrogant prince, and he felt his hatred for him skyrocket. Anyone who would manipulate him into thinking that Rapunzel didn't even love him…

"Well, I guess it makes sense that _you_ wouldn't know the signs of caring for someone," Eugene said bitterly. "You don't even call Rapunzel by her name! It's always 'Princess' this or 'Princess' that!"

"That's because she _is _a princess," Robert smirked, even daring to lean in close to Eugene's face. "And you, _Eugene_, are a commoner. That's all you will ever be. A princess does _not_ belong with a commoner. A _princess_ belongs with _royalty_. And nothing—_nothing_—will ever change that."

Eugene stood, fists clenched, unable to speak a word. The reason? Robert's last sentence was true.

Nothing would ever change that Rapunzel and he couldn't be together.

When Eugene didn't reply, Robert stuck his nose in the air with a victorious grin.

"Rules are rules," Robert smiled, striding around Eugene. Suddenly, Eugene heard the crinkle of paper and watched as something white fluttered to the ground besides Robert. "You of all people should know…"

Eugene turned and furiously watched the arrogant prince walk down the hall, knowing that in the end, that idiot would end up with the girl Eugene loved.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

His gaze fell to the marble floor, where Robert had dropped a slightly crumpled sheet of paper. Slowly leaning down, Eugene grabbed the sheet and turned it over to see what it was. When he realized what he was holding, his stomach rose into his throat, his heart froze, and just everything inside him went topsy-turvy.

_How did he find out about this?_ Eugene gasped in his mind. Robert was from a totally different kingdom. How did he get his hands…on this? Eugene just couldn't believe it. But the page in his hands proved that Robert knew his big secret.

For there, in his hands, he was staring straight into his past.

He was staring straight at the person he had tried so hard to forget.

He was staring straight into the eyes of Flynn Rider.

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><p><strong>Geez...I hate Robert. Don't you? Good. That's what you're supposed to do. Show the hate!<strong>

**Ha.**

**So anyway, REVIEW REPLIES!**

**Chickadee650: Ha! Thanks! And I hope your business class gets more exciting! ;-)**

**Wickedsong: Just wait...as you've seen, it gets worse. I hope Robert's a good antagonist, though!**

**EugeneandRapunzelFitzherbert: NO! Please. Just...no. HAHAHA! Don't scare me like that!**

**Dice in a can: Yeah, I tried to make him evilish (is that a word?) but in a humorous, "I'm the greatest" sort of way. I'm glad you like him...I think!**

**jellybubblebean: Ok, I can't tell you how hard that made me laugh! Nice prediction...GO MAX, GO! lol**

**EmperorArcana: Yes, that DOES look amazing in blu-ray (Especially the lantern scene) And I'm glad you like the story. As for Robert's accent, I guess you could think of it as sort of British. NOT THAT BRITISH PPL'S ACCENTS ARE ANNOYING! Actually, I love British accents. Just, like, British and snobby. REALLY, REALLY SNOBBY. And don't worry-A book of a review is my FAVORITE type of review!**

**TinySlippers: Man, I can't tell you how many people say they want Robert to die...Ha.**

**kittehkitty2: YES! LAUGHTER! AND SADNESS! MY MISSION IS COMPLETE!**

**sunnyprincessbird: Thumbs up for cupcakes!**

**larkriselasses: I love predictions and especially love yours-Geez, you have so many good ideas, maybe you should write the rest of this! ;-)**

**OH MY GOSH THAT'S A LOT OF REPLIES! Just shows how much a appreciate all you guys' reviews! Thanks!**

**More soon!**


	6. Sneaking Out

**Hey, you guys!**

**Ok, so here's chapter six. Sorry if this isn't really up to par. This is another one of those "filler" chapters, but I had to have it in the story. You'll see why a little bit later. ;-)**

**I know it's just filler, but I still tried to add some of the cuteness that the last chapters had. I hope you like it-I've been SOOOOO busy, I just hope this is nice enough for you guys. Originally, this was going to be this chapter and the next one put together, but I decided that was too long. I think you'll really like the next few chapters though.**

**Who knows? You might like this one.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

**Again, review replies. End of chapter! YAAAAAAAY! And hey-Cause and effect-More reviews, equals more review replies! Huh? Huh? HUHHHHHHHH? :-)**

**Okey dokey. Let's begin.**

**Me: HA! HHAHAHAHAH! I HAVE IT! I HAVE THE RIGHTS TO OWNING TANGLED! MUAHAHAHAH! *Holds official rights up in air while running wildly out of Disney office***

***Disney worker shoots me with tranquilizer dart and I pass out on ground***

**Disney dude: HA.**

**Yeah...Still don't own Tangled!**

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><p>From that day on, things only got worse.<p>

Robert made it so Eugene could hardly get a _glimpse_ of Rapunzel. He was always dragging her along to something or other, and every time Eugene would end up passing them in the halls, Robert would defensively wrap his arm around Rapunzel's waist and give Eugene an icy glare.

But it was really Rapunzel that Eugene was worried about. She was getting just as infuriated with the arrogant prince as he was. In fact, when Robert was going insane nearly every afternoon searching for the princess, Eugene was sure that Rapunzel had already set up some kind of hideaway from the stuck-up snob.

By the end of the week, neither of them could take much more.

In fact, that Saturday, Eugene sat on his bed, still baffled over Robert and his wanted poster. He had turned the poster over in his hands time after time, as if that would do anything. Finally, he plopped back down onto the bed with a sigh. It wasn't that he was worried about Robert revealing his past to anybody; nearly everyone in Corona already knew about his "double life", so it wasn't like that stupid prince could use it against him or anything. No. But what really bugged him was this: If Robert knew about him being Flynn Rider, what else did he know?

That was what really was bothering him.

With a sigh, he rose from the bed and grabbed his satchel with the hand that wasn't holding the poster. Maybe he could take Maximus for a ride to take his mind off things…

Suddenly, footsteps down the hall alerted him to someone coming, and he subconsciously stuffed the poster under the bed. If it was a guard or something, he didn't want them jumping to conclusions and thinking he was over there scheming his next great criminal act. Ha. Maybe he should have kept the poster, _and_ laughed evilly as they passed by…That would have been a nice prank.

However, as Eugene looked out the door, he saw, not a guard, but Rapunzel. She was standing right in his doorway, and was she…_smiling_?

"Robert's gone," she announced, practically bursting with glee. "For now. My parents saw how much he was just _killing_ me and took him out for a tour of the kingdom."

Eugene grinned in disbelief. "So that means—"

"Yes!" Rapunzel squealed, running over to him and throwing her arms around his neck. He spun her around joyfully and she kissed him on his nose. "We're alone. No more Prince Snobbert. Just you and me until he gets back."

Eugene returned her kiss and she giggled. "Just you and me. I like the sound of that."

"Well, we've got a while," Rapunzel shrugged. "What would you like to do?"

Well, Eugene could think of _plenty_ of things he wanted to do right then, but he simply chuckled. "How about taking Maximus for a ride?"

"No, if Robert sees us out there, who knows what'll happen," Rapunzel shook her head. "How about the courtyard? That's sort of become our own private getaway ever since this whole mess occurred."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Eugene smiled. "Sure…That way I can show you my mind-blowing satchel wielding skills." With a wide grin on his face, he began twirling the satchel around every which way, and Rapunzel backed away, laughing.

"Eugene, look out—"

The warning had barely left her lips when the satchel smacked against Eugene's face, and his "mind-blowing satchel wielding" ceased as he rubbed his face and laughed.

"You know, that was part of the act," he chuckled sarcastically. "I've been trying to perfect that for weeks."

"I think you did all right," Rapunzel giggled. "Just another one of the many reasons I love you."

"Because I hit myself in the face?"

Rapunzel smiled, kissing his cheek where the satchel had hit it. "Something like that."

O-O-O-O-O

"…He loves me…he loves me not…He loves me!" Rapunzel smiled as she picked the last petal off of the little flower in her hands and watched it flutter in the breeze.

"Gosh…I could have told you that, Blondie," Eugene chuckled. "You didn't have to torture a poor, innocent flower to find that out."

"Now you try," Rapunzel commanded, plucking another flower from the courtyard garden and handing it to the young man.

"Ok, ok," Eugene gave in. With a sly grin, he took the flower from her fingertips and opened the other hand. In one swift motion, he grabbed the stem and slid his hand up the flower, yanking off all the petals at once.

"She loves me," he concluded, letting all the petals fall into the grass. "Well, that was easy."

Rapunzel laughed and snuggled up close to him. "See? Told you it always works."

"I believe it," Eugene nodded, kissing her lightly on the head. Gosh…He wished he could hold her like this and kiss her all day.

"Eugene…" Rapunzel's smile faded away and her eyes saddened. "Why? Why does that stupid council want to keep us apart? Can't they see you've changed? Can't they see I need you?"

"I wish I knew all the answers," Eugene sighed. "It doesn't make sense to me either."

"But you're not a thief anymore!" Rapunzel pointed out. "You're a good man who even _saved my life_!" She looked up at him, her gaze depressed and frustrated. "Why isn't that good enough for them?"

"Maybe…" Eugene grinned, letting his arm fall across Rapunzel's shoulder. "They just think I'm gonna end up doing _this_!" Before the princess could react, he snatched off her crown and stuffed it in his satchel, then scurried to his feet and began racing playfully around the courtyard.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel squealed, immediately skittering to her feet and chasing after him. "What are you—Get back here!"

"You'll never catch Flynn Rider!" Eugene announced, laughing as he winded through the trees and bushes dotting the courtyard. Rapunzel leapt after him, laughing with glee.

"We'll see about that!" Eugene heard Rapunzel laugh, but he kept running, not even looking over his shoulder at his pursuer. He darted past a tree, and out of nowhere, Rapunzel leapt out in front of him, catching him completely off-guard and causing him to trip and tumble to the ground on top of her.

Somehow, Eugene had been able to stop himself from crushing her, and he instead rolled over so she was lying against his chest. The two of them were then overtaken by uncontrollable laughter, and Eugene's whole being filled with warmth as Rapunzel suddenly pressed her lips against his. He cradled her head with his hand as he took in the kiss, returning it with equal passion. This is how it was meant to be.

How could this be taken away from him?

When the kiss ended, Rapunzel drew back, her jade green eyes flooded with sadness.

"How can they take you away from me?" Rapunzel's statement mirrored Eugene's thoughts. "How can they be so heartless…to end _this_?"

"I…I don't know," Eugene answered honestly. "But I can tell you one thing."

"What's that?"

"I love you…so much." He pulled her into another kiss, and closed his eyes, feeling his heart soar. Who cares if Robert hated him? Who cared if Robert knew about his past? They had this moment; right here…right now…Together.

That's how it was meant to be.

Rapunzel smiled as the second kiss ended.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

"Rapunzel? Eugene?"

The sudden voice gave Eugene a jolt, and he looked up to see Queen Amelia standing in the courtyard doorway. Realizing how awkward their position might look to Rapunzel's _mother_, he gently slid out from underneath Rapunzel and helped the princess to her feet.

"Hello, your high—Amelia," Eugene corrected himself, bowing respectfully. "Is everything ok?"

"More or less," the Queen shrugged. "I just wanted to let you know that Robert has returned." She turned to Rapunzel. "Your father is speaking with him in the foyer. He thought that would give you a chance to wrap up whatever you two were doing."

"Oh," Rapunzel's face fell. "Ok."

"Oh, Rapunzel…" Queen Amelia's eyes saddened as she saw her daughter's expression. She gazed sympathetically at Rapunzel as she walked over to embrace her. "I'm so sorry things are the way they are."

"Me too," Rapunzel whispered, returning the embrace. "You have no idea."

Eugene watched as the mother and daughter stared somberly into each other's eyes, and then Rapunzel turned to face Eugene. Before he could react, she rushed over to him and threw her arms around him, burrowing her face in his vest.

"Eugene, I love you…" she whispered, and Eugene began to stroke her hair.

"And I love you too," the young man leaned down to kiss the princess's head. "Forever and always. No matter how many snobby marshmallow-suited princes get in our way."

Rapunzel giggled quietly and held him even tighter as he embraced her as well. Eugene closed his eyes, taking in Rapunzel's warmth, and all too soon, the hug ended. With one last parting glance, Rapunzel left to go stand next to her mother.

"Thank you for taking care of her, Eugene," the Queen gently smiled at him, putting a caring arm around her daughter. With that, the two royals turned and Eugene watched as they became more and more distant until they finally disappeared through the castle doors.

He was alone.

With a sigh, he hoisted the satchel over his shoulder and waited a bit before finally deciding to walk back up to his room.

As he meandered through the castle hallways and up the staircase that led to his room, he didn't catch any sight of Rapunzel _or_ Robert. Probably because the snobby prince was just being so possessive…Ugh. The mere thought of Robert's arm around Rapunzel infuriated him. But he had to keep calm. For Rapunzel. He _definitely_ didn't want Robert lashing out on _her_ for something stupid _he_ did.

Finally, he reached his room and slowly eased open the door. Not even bothering to close it, he let out a breath as he tossed the satchel on his bed and reached underneath the bed, pulling out the crumpled wanted poster. So far, he hadn't told Rapunzel about anything Robert had done or said. Maybe that was all for the better, though. He didn't want her worrying too much, or realizing she's stuck with not only an arrogant jerk, but also a man who felt like pushing her true love off of a cliff, if he had the opportunity.

No, he couldn't tell her. The most important thing was that she was happy. He could manage.

He plopped onto the bed and began studying the poster once again, as if he would find anything different about it after nearly two or three hours of inspecting it already.

Suddenly, the sound of bare feet slapping against the floor outside his door made him jolt up, and he watched, wide-eyed and concerned, as he saw Rapunzel race by. He had barely caught a glimpse of her before she was gone, and in an instant, he was at his feet, the poster forgotten. This was _way_ more important.

"Rapunzel!" he called after her, running out the door. "Rapunzel, what's wrong?"

The brown-haired princess didn't reply, just bolted down the hallway and disappeared into her bedroom. Eugene's heart sank as he heard the click of the lock, but fortunately, Rapunzel had gone in there so quickly that she hadn't completely closed the door before she locked it. Eugene rushed over to the door and eased it open, then practically burst through when he saw Rapunzel climbing out the window.

"Rapunzel!" he ran after her, unable to let her do this. "No—Don't do it, Blondie!"

"Relax, Eugene," came the angry reply. "I wasn't going to jump. Though Robert makes me sure contemplate it sometimes."

Eugene breathed out a sigh of relief and tried to ease his pounding heart as he slipped out the window along with her. He found her perched on a sloped edge of the castle roof outside of her window, and with a small smile, he sat down next to her.

"I just come up here when I want to get away from Robert," Rapunzel explained. "Today's one of those days…I just…" With a sigh, Rapunzel put her hands over her face, and Eugene put his arms around her. Was she…crying? He wouldn't be surprised. They'd both been under enough stress to last a lifetime.

"Hey, Blondie, it's ok…" he soothed. "What did he do to you?"

Rapunzel sighed as she removed her hands from her face. "Ok, I know I'm probably taking this _way_ too personally, but…" another sigh escaped her lips, and Eugene wiped away a stray tear slipping down her cheek, "…He said…He said that my hair was 'atrocious' and I'd look a million times better as…a blonde."

"Oh…Rapunzel…" Eugene's whole being filled with anger for Robert and sympathy for his crying princess as he held her even tighter. Robert sure could be an idiot sometimes, but he had just totally struck the wrong nerve with Rapunzel. That was the one thing you _never_ talked about with her. Especially saying that she'd look better as a blonde? Ugh—That jerk had no idea how much she had gone through!

Eugene stared out silently into the distance, at the spectacular view their window seat gave them. He looked down at the kingdom itself. The bustling crowds, the busy shopkeepers, the laughing children running through the streets, and finally, he slammed his hands against his legs.

"That's it," he finally decided.

Rapunzel looked at him curiously. "_What's_ it?"

"You, Princess, are under too much stress," Eugene said, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "You need to escape from all this. And not just out of a window. You need to get away from all this, even if it's only for a day."

Rapunzel still looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Eugene said quietly, a grin spreading across his face. "We're sneaking out."

"_Sneaking out?_" Rapunzel asked in disbelief.

"Sneaking out," Eugene repeated with a nod. "Do you need me to tell you the definition?"

"No, I know what it means, of course, just…" Rapunzel's eyes widened. "What about my parents? What about Robert? What if—"

"Shhhh," Eugene put a gentle finger to Rapunzel's lips to quiet her. "I know your parents. They'd be absolutely fine with it. Actually, knowing how they feel about all this, I think they'd actually _encourage_ you to get away for a while. And Robert," Eugene chuckled, "well, I couldn't care less about what that overstuffed couch cushion thinks."

Rapunzel giggled and then finally let out a contented sigh. "Ok," her green eyes sparkled with joy. "Let's do it. How are we going to get out?"

"Sneak down to the stables, grab Max and head out to the kingdom," Eugene explained. "It's that simple."

"Perfect," Rapunzel smiled, enveloping Eugene in a tight hug. "Thank you, Eugene…Thank you so much."

"Anything to make you happy, Blondie," Eugene smiled.

_Absolutely anything_.

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><p><strong>There you go. Hope you like it! All this craziness is finally about to die down (Thank goodness) so you can expect more chapters soon!<strong>

**HAHAHA! I can't tell you how many reviews started with "I HATE ROBERT". Made me laugh. ANTI-ROBERT WARRIORS, UNITE!**

**Now, review replies!**

**PampleMousse07: I know, right? And don't be jealous. Please, don't...I don't want you coming and whacking me upside the head with a frying pan in my sleep.**

**StarShip Ranger: HAHAHAHA! I only _wish_ I could update that fast! But thanks!**

**jellybubblebean: OH MY GOSH! I can not tell you how hard I laughed! That should _so_ happen...I think once this is all over, I'll write an alternate ending, just for you.**

**EdwardBellaAndSasuSaku4Eva: Here...let me help you with that. *Opens window* NOW! THROW! lol...**

**Princess Shahrazad: Thanks for all the reviews! Really appreciate them!**

**GeneratorText006: OH MY GOSH! THE BEST THING EVER ON FANFIC? Seriously. That just made my day. Thank you so much.**

**JaydeRayne: Love your ideas of how to get rid of Robert-Seriously, predictions make me smile, and yours are epic. And btw, thanks for all the great reviews!**

**Lexi: EEP! I'm so sorry! I hope I didn't ruin that amazing movie for you...Maybe just keep reading-That might lift your spirits ;-)**

**kittehkitty2: OH MY GOSH! If I had met Eugene in person I so should have done that. He'd probably be like, "Huh? What?" and then I'd have to recite the whole movie to him. Lol! But thanks a lot! AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR NEXT CHAPTER! The last one was _amazing _and I'm _dying _to see what happens next!**

**Okey dokey. That should about cover it.**

**Thanks for all your reviews! I think, as far as reviews go, at this rate, this will become my most popular story yet. Keep them coming!**

**Thanks a lot!**

**More soon!**

**:-P**

**Ok, I'm done. ;-)**


	7. Dance

**Hi everyone!**

**Ok, so here's Chapter 7 of All That Really Mattered. Yes, it's short, but I hope it's just as good as all the others. Originally it was going to be part of the last chapter, but I thought this was special and deserved a chapter all its own.**

**Sorry this took so long to come out! I can't tell you how many times I was interrupted while writing this (by various things), and when I write, I need to get in "the zone". And trust me...It takes a while to get in "the zone". So...yeah. Hope this doesn't sound too choppy. I think it actually turned out alright, but...hmm...Oh, well. Hope you like it.**

**Sorry if the ending sounds just...weird. Ugh. It just doesn't sound right to me. Your thoughts?**

**Anyway, ha...I saw Beauty and the Beast for the second time yesterday (loved it, by the way) so you might see a little bit of that essence in here ;-)**

**Ok, enough yapping (I do that a lot). On with the story!**

**I've got a dream**

**I've got a dream**

**And it involves-OWNING TANGLED!**

**Random guy: That doesn't rhyme!**

**Me: *Whacks guy upside the head with frying pan***

**Chapter Song: "Just One Last Dance" by Sarah Connor—This song is absolutely gorgeous and fits the chapter perfectly. (Note; if you want to hear it, you can really only find it on Youtube…I haven't been able to find it, like, anywhere else! But if you can, check it out. It's an amazing song!)**

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><p>Rapunzel had almost forgotten how astonishing the kingdom was.<p>

And now, here she was, running amongst the street vendors and taking in everything Corona had to offer. It was almost like the first time she had set foot in the kingdom, back when Eugene and she were nothing more than friends. And now…Now look at how much had changed.

Eugene's plan had worked perfectly. They had been able to sneak down to the stables and grab Maximus without any detection—Apparently Eugene still had some stealth left in him, even after all these months. Maximus was surprisingly supportive of the idea; Rapunzel guessed word of Robert's idiocy had even gotten to the stables. Just like that, they were off, and for the first time since the arrogant prince had arrived, Rapunzel felt free.

Free.

"Eugene, this is amazing!" Rapunzel exclaimed, twirling around in the kingdom square. With a contented sigh, she walked over to Eugene and leaned her head against the young man's chest. "Thank you _so _much…"

"Hey, no problem," Eugene shrugged. "I thought you deserved a break after being stuck with that pompous maniac for so long."

"Absolutely," Rapunzel agreed. "I can't stand him! I can't stand how he dresses, or his attitude, or the way he treats you—"

"Hey, we came out here to get away from him," Eugene stopped her, hiding his hand behind his back. "Now, let's not focus on him, and instead, focus on _this_."

Rapunzel watched curiously as Eugene removed his hand from behind him, and gasped as she saw what was in his palm: a gorgeous golden locket. A huge smile swept across her face as he held it up—A heart-shaped beauty that shined magnificently whenever the light touched it. The chain holding it up was so tiny, yet, so intricate. Everything about it was just _beautiful_.

"Eugene," she gasped, breathtaken. "Where—how did you—"

"Just a little something I bought while you were over watching that seamstress earlier," Eugene explained. "I needed to find something…something to show you that'd I'd always be with you, no matter what Prince _Snobbert_ does."

"Oh…Eugene," was all Rapunzel could say as she delicately took hold of the chain, watching as the golden heart twirled. "It's beautiful…"

"Not as beautiful as you," Eugene smiled.

Rapunzel smiled, her heart soaring as she gazed into Eugene's loving amber eyes. For a moment, no one else was around. Just the two of them…

And there was no one else she'd rather be with.

Suddenly, Maximus appeared, nudging Eugene's side. Pascal, who was perched on the horse's head, raised his eyebrows at the young man. Eugene chuckled.

"Alright! Alright! I was getting to that," Eugene shook his head, and then looked lovingly at Rapunzel. He gently took the locket from her hand and held the two ends of the chain. "May I?"

Rapunzel felt like she was floating. "Of course."

The princess smiled as she slowly turned, using one hand to hold up the little bit of brown hair she had obscuring the nape of her neck. Barely able to breathe, she looked down as she felt the chill of the cold chain brush against her, and she stared at the shining golden heart lying against her chest. She felt goosebumps prick at her skin as Eugene's fingers lightly brushed against her neck and he buckled the chain in place. Her fingers rose to delicately touch the locket, and she sighed contentedly, turning to face Eugene.

"It's beautiful," she said again, still in disbelief over Eugene's gorgeous gift. "Thank you…_so_ much."

"Glad you like it, Blondie," Eugene smiled, jokingly elbowing Maximus aside as the horse gave him "_the look_".

With one last smile, Rapunzel let her hand fall from the locket and she gazed into her beloved's eyes. They were so full of love…so full of caring…He was the complete opposite of Robert. He really, truly cared about her. And she loved him…_She loved him so much_…

"So…" Eugene finally spoke up. "What do you want to do now?"

"Well," Rapunzel shrugged, "we could always—"

Suddenly, a sound from behind her cut her off, and instantly, she whirled around. She let out a gasp as she spotted what had made the noise—A group of men, each tuning their individual instruments. Within seconds, the men had finished, and began playing an upbeat tune that at first started out soft but then began intensifying, flowing through the whole entire kingdom square.

"Eugene…" Rapunzel breathed, turning to face the young man. Already, the jovial music was taking over, and she couldn't resist bouncing up and down to the beat. "Do you want to—" Suddenly, she stopped bouncing and her face fell as she remembered something. "Oh…I forgot. You don't like dancing, do you?"

Eugene smiled as he gently lifted up the young girl's chin. "Actually, I forgot how fun it was…until I met you."

At the sound of that, the princess smiled, and without wasting a second, grabbed Eugene's hand and enthusiastically yanked him into the middle of the square.

"Woah!" he laughed as she began twirling, and pretty soon, he began doing it too. Rapunzel couldn't stop smiling as she took Eugene's hands, spinning and leaping about to the rhythm. Looking around, she spotted other citizens beginning to gather around the two lovers dancing in the square, and some even began to join in. Pretty soon, the whole square was filled with twirling dresses and clapping hands, the rhythmic stepping of boots against the cobblestones, and the music—oh, the music—enveloping the whole area and flooding Rapunzel with a passion that she couldn't even describe with words.

Closing her eyes, Rapunzel let the melody carry her—sweep her away—whirling, stepping, leaping into the air…She could barely feel the ground under her feet…It was almost as if she was flying…

Opening her eyes, she couldn't help but laugh with joy at the sight of Eugene dancing right alongside her. For someone who didn't usually dance, he was actually an excellent dancer. He had rhythm—that was for sure—and Rapunzel loved seeing the smile on his face as he stepped with the beat. He took her hand once again, and Rapunzel moved in close to him, letting him wrap his arm around her as they spun, Rapunzel's heart pounding inside her chest.

Gosh, she loved him.

The claps of hands…the pounding of drums…the pure excitement in the air…the sound of it just enveloped Rapunzel's whole spirit, and Eugene pressed up close to her only made this moment a million times better. On they twirled, spun, and Rapunzel closed her eyes once again, lifting up her arms as the music embraced her…

Suddenly, she let out a yelp as she felt herself, _literally_, rising into the air, and she opened her eyes and frantically clutched at what was below her. She found herself grabbing at Eugene's vest, as the young man had picked her up by the waist and was twirling her around.

"Hey, it's ok," he assured her as she gripped onto him anxiously. "I won't let you fall."

Rapunzel's faith in him completely erased any fear she had left, and she let go of Eugene's vest, flinging her arms out behind her. She threw her head back, closed her eyes, and laughed as she felt the wind whip through her hair. On they twirled, faster…faster…And Rapunzel felt like she was in a whole new world.

Finally, with one last chord, the music ended, and Eugene set Rapunzel back down.

"How was that for our first dance?" Eugene asked, brushing some hair out of his eyes.

_That's right,_ Rapunzel realized. _That _was_ our first dance! _A big smile swept across her face as she tried to catch her breath.

"Absolutely perfect," she breathed, "You're a great dancer."

"You're not too bad yourself, Blondie," Eugene smiled. "Hey, maybe we should—"

Suddenly, both of them froze as the music sounded once again, but instead of an upbeat dance, a slow, soft, melodious song began playing. Rapunzel's eyes locked on the musicians, and she sighed wistfully. It was just so beautiful…But she shook her head. Eugene had already danced once—she was pretty sure that he wasn't really that eager to do it again.

"Eugene—" she whirled around to face him, and then she froze as she saw his hand held out to her. His smile was awfully familiar—almost a spitting image of the one he had worn when he had revealed the two lanterns to her that night on the boat.

"May I have this dance?" Eugene asked elegantly, his kind amber eyes locked on Rapunzel's surprised green ones.

Rapunzel smiled and nodded, taking his hand. Taking slow, tentative steps, the two made their way to the middle of the square. Breathing in as she turned to face him, Rapunzel took Eugene's hand, and gazed into his eyes as Eugene positioned his other one ballroom-style around the princess's waist. Rapunzel wrapped her arm around her love as well, and, with one last look at each other, an unspoken message was sent and both of them began the dance.

This dance was different than the last one; the soft, sweet tone sent a whole new feeling flowing through Rapunzel, and this time, she found she couldn't take her eyes off the man in front of her. Back and forth they swayed, slowly spinning in time to the slow, tranquil rhythm. Step-by-step they danced, hand in hand, both unable to take their gaze away from each other's affectionate eyes.

As the music began to build up, Rapunzel's passion for Eugene began to overwhelm her, and it seemed like the whole world around them had just stopped. It was just them and the music…Oh, the music…It flowed through her very soul and took her breath away. It seemed like the song was just _perfect_ for her and Eugene, and she sighed contentedly as she moved in close to lie against his chest. She thought she heard Eugene chuckle as she closed her eyes, taking it all in; the music, the dance, Eugene, right there next to her…

This was remarkable.

On they danced, back and forth, back and forth—It seemed as if they were the center of it all. Rapunzel could hardly breathe as Eugene spun her out away from him and then pulled her back in, taking a moment to gaze into her shimmering green eyes. Exchanging a smile, they both continued the dance, now spinning, swaying, completely caught up in each other. Rapunzel couldn't remember a moment in her life quite like this.

As Rapunzel closed her eyes and let the music carry her, she wrapped her arms around Eugene's neck, and he did the same around her torso, pulling her in close to him. She smiled as she felt his breath against her cheek, and then, three little words were whispered in her ear.

"I love you."

The statement just made Rapunzel hold him even tighter, her heart soaring to new heights.

"I love you, too," she responded in a whisper.

Nothing else mattered now. It was just her and Eugene. The music, wrapping around every move they made, each note flowing through Rapunzel's entire being and making her feel as if she was soaring, and Eugene's arms around her…He would never let her go. He would never let her fall.

Eugene dipped Rapunzel one final time, just as the music ended. The princess opened her eyes, gazing, breathless, up at her love. This was how it was meant to be…It was almost like a dream—A moment as beautiful as this.

Passion surging through her entire being, she just couldn't resist it. Before Eugene could respond, she leaned in close and kissed him, and her heart soared for about the five millionth time that day as he returned the kiss. Holding him tighter, the kiss continued…Rapunzel _never_ wanted this to end…It was just so magical…

Rapunzel barely noticed that an eerie silence had filled the kingdom square, and the only thing that alerted her to his sudden change was an abnormally loud "clip-clop" noise behind her and a hot breathing on the back of her neck. Confused, she pulled away from the kiss, and her heart froze as she heard someone clear his throat behind her.

_Oh, no…_

Rapunzel whirled around, coming face to face with an angry-looking black stallion. But the horse was not what she was scared to look at—No, she knew who was _on_ that horse, and she was so reluctant to face reality that she almost didn't want to look up.

But she had to.

She took in a deep breath as her gaze slowly moved upwards, past the horse's snout, past his mane, to the rider atop the huge black stallion. He made Rapunzel feel like an ant while he was on top of the magnificent creature, though his mere presence made her feel small already. The man upon the horse donned a huge, poofy outfit, today striped with black and white. The long black cape flowing out behind him just added to the unease that Rapunzel felt just looking at him, and Rapunzel couldn't stop her pounding heart at the sight of the young prince's angry—nearly murderous—gaze down at her.

Rapunzel just couldn't believe it—How could this have happened?

How could Robert have caught them?

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><p><strong>How?<strong>

**HOW?**

**HOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW?**

**Erm...Sorry about the cliffhanger there.**

**So, as promised, review replies!**

**Silverbellsb: OH MY GOSH, YES! I should **_**so**_** have them do that...Heck, I want some s'mores now...**

**Wickedsong: Thanks! Oh, and thank you so much-You always give such well-written reviews that really help fuel my writing, and I appreciate that. Also, I'm curious to see what your prediction is but I'm willing to be patient and wait...Who knows? Maybe you're on to something...**

**sunnyprincessbird: HOLY COW! That was TOO funny! That seriously was **_**epic**_**. I could **_**so**_** imgaine that going on! The singing, and the frying pan whacking, and the Island of Perpetual Tickling! WOO HOO! And yes, I love Veggietales, too. GO VEGGIETALES! lol**

**PampleMousse07: Heheheh...I don't know...MUAHAHAHAHAH! Lol..but hey, just keep reading! (Love your new story, by the way...It's in my alerts and my favorites now!)**

**EugeneandRapunzelFitzherbert: Thanks for spreading the word!**

**TinySlippers: I want to see your friend's brother! lol...**

**Star Ship Ranger: Phew! Ok, thanks a lot! I was so afraid they were OOC...but I guess they're not as back as I thought. Thanks. I know what you mean about Rapunzel crying-I've read **_**a lot**_** of stories like that. Even now, I thought she might have been too weepy, but I've tried to stay away from that. Hopefully I'm doing a good job. Thanks for the review and thanks for the cookie!**

**Well, there you have it.**

**More soon! I'll try my best to get the next chapter up as soon as I can!**


	8. I'm Sorry, Blondie

**Ta-Da! Hi, everyone!**

**Chapter 8 is finally here! This is actually a BIG part of the story, and some of you are probably going to be like, WHAT? But, uh...yeah. Nevertheless, hope you enjoy it. This is where things REALLY start picking up, and...uh, frankly, I think this chapter stinks. Yeah. I'm telling the truth! It's SOOOOO hard keeping everyone in character, and alas, I don't think I did a very good job this time around. But maybe I'm just going insane...again. What do you think?**

**Yes, this chapter is long. The last one was short, so I sort of wanted to give you adequate reading material. :-) Sorry about the length.**

**WOO HOO! We passed the 100 mark on reviews! You guys are AWESOME! Seriously-I read every single review and appreciate them all _SO_ much. Don't believe me? Check out the review replies at the end of this chapter! Oh, and um...don't think just because we passed 100 that you can automatically stop. NO! There is a record! And it must be BEATEN! (It's 188 reviews, by the way. Think we can beat that? HECK, YEAH!)**

**So, okey-meh-dokey. Here's chapter eight. Sorry to keep you waiting-This actually was done _yesterday_ but I was feeling evil (I watched Megamind...no wonder) and held out it's release until TODAY! MUAHAHAHAHHAHA! Yes, you all hate me now, don't you? Just don't kill me-Unless you never want to find out how this ends!**

**So, here it goes!**

**Let me tell you a little story:**

**Once upon a time, there was a writer named Sheep1215. And she loved Tangled with a passion. But alas, she did not own Tangled. So one day, she snuck into Walt Disney Studios and tried to steal the rights to Tangled with the help of her trusty bazooka, but she ended up getting tazed. So that is why she is now in jail, typing fanfiction from her little laptop in the shadows, and trying her best not to go insane. Oh, and she did _not_ live happily ever after. But you already knew that, didn't you?**

**Yeah...I don't own Tangled (or Megamind...wish I did...But Tangled's still a billion times better!). **

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><p>"Princess!" Robert practically growled down at Rapunzel. "What on <em>earth<em> do you _think_ you're _doing_?"

At first, Rapunzel shrunk back, terrified at the sight of the prince atop of the intimidating steed. But then she shook her head and stood up tall. This was ridiculous. She was stronger than that—and she was not going to let some snobby prince threaten her one bit.

"I _think_ I'm enjoying a visit to the kingdom," Rapunzel retaliated. "If that's alright with you."

Robert narrowed his eyes, and his gaze snapped to Eugene. "Oh, you seem to be _enjoying_ yourself, alright…I ride up and see my bride-to-be kissing up on this repulsive little—"

"Robert, stop it!" Rapunzel cut him off. "Just _stop it_! Why are you even _here_, anyway?"

"My princess goes missing and you expect me to just _sit_ there? No, I care too much to leave you with the likes of men like _him_." He gestured disgustedly towards Eugene.

Rapunzel scoffed. Please…Since when had Robert ever _cared_ about her?

Glaring menacingly down at the two of them, Robert dismounted his horse and Rapunzel moved in close to Eugene as the enraged prince approached them. She looked up at her love, who wrapped his arms around her protectively, giving Robert an icy glare unlike anything Rapunzel had ever seen.

As soon as Robert saw Eugene take Rapunzel into his arms, the prince then turned to the ex-thief, his angered gaze unrelenting.

"I'd take my hands off of her, if I was you," Robert commanded through clenched teeth.

"But you're not me," Eugene said, not missing a beat. "And maybe that's why Rapunzel prefers _me_ over _you_."

"Shut up," Robert moved in even closer, but Eugene's stony glare didn't waver a bit. "Or believe me…You'll regret it."

Rapunzel's heart pounded as she shrank back even closer towards Eugene. As much as she hated to admit it, Robert still sent a sliver of fear surging through her, no matter how brave she tried to be. It wasn't all the time—When he was complaining or acting stupid or just being _himself_, it wasn't a problem. But when he and _Eugene_ were in the same room…That's when things got ugly.

And things were about to get ugly.

Before Eugene could say anything else, Rapunzel spoke up, scared of what might happen next.

"Look, can we just please go back to the castle?" Rapunzel asked, looking back and forth between the two men. "_Please?_ I…I'd like to go home now. We can talk about this there."

"Indeed…" Robert narrowed his eyes even more, his angry stare still fixed on Eugene. Finally, he grabbed Rapunzel's arm and began pulling her forward, and Rapunzel let out a yelp, not expecting this. "Come, Princess. You're coming with me."

"Take your hands _off her_," Eugene demanded, stepping forward. "It's her decision. She can go with anyone she wants to go with."

"And she _wants_ to go with me," Robert replied, still not loosening his grip on the princess's arm. He turned to Rapunzel and gave one of his supposed-to-be-charming smiles, though right then, it was downright sickening to Rapunzel. "Don't you, Princess?"

Finally, Rapunzel just couldn't take it anymore. "_No,_" she said sternly, yanking her arm away from the prince's glove. "Robert, I'm going with Eugene."

"But—" Robert's mouth gaped open in disbelief.

"That's who I _want_ to go with," Rapunzel clenched her fists and glared at the slack-jawed prince as Maximus walked up behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Eugene, Maximus, and even Pascal, all glaring at the arrogant prince, daring him to say more.

Robert clenched his fists as well, and his gaze grew so angered his eyes nearly turned red. "Fine," he mumbled through gritted teeth. "We will discuss this as soon as we return." And with that, Robert turned, nearly whipping Rapunzel in the face with his black cape. He mounted his horse with his head held high, but he was still fuming from the rejection he had just received. With one last glare of murderous anger at Eugene, Robert snapped the reins of his horse and just like that, he was off.

Rapunzel sighed and then whirled around as she felt Eugene's hands on her shoulders.

"You okay?" he asked.

"More or less," Rapunzel shrugged. "I'm just…" she sighed, looking down at the ground, and then gazed tearfully up at Eugene. "I'm just scared…" she admitted in a whisper.

"Hey…" Eugene said soothingly, embracing the troubled young princess. "It's ok. Everything's gonna be ok. I promise."

And as Rapunzel snuggled up closer to Eugene, her stomach churning with anxiety, she prayed with all her heart that his promise would hold true.

O-O-O-O-O

Eugene let out a sigh as he walked out of the stables and up the steps that led to the main foyer of the castle. However, as soon as he sighed, he regretted it—after all, Rapunzel _was_ right beside him, and she had enough stress on her shoulders already. He didn't want to dishearten her any more than she already was. He looked down at her with a soft smile and saw that she wasn't even paying attention; just staring down at the ground with a blank expression. He couldn't really blame her—_Robert_ was waiting in that foyer, and Eugene was sure that the prince's response to this whole situation was _not_ going to be pretty.

Even though he understood how she was feeling, it didn't mean that he liked seeing her that way at all. Gazing reassuringly down at her, he gently rubbed her shoulder as they ascended the stairs, causing the brown-haired princess to look up at him with her wide green eyes. When she saw his smile, she tried her best to smile back, but Eugene could still see the obvious fear in her eyes. Gosh…It pained him to see her this way.

"Hey, Blondie," Eugene said comfortingly, "I told you…It's gonna be alright."

Rapunzel sighed and went back to staring at the ground. "I hope you're right, Eugene…I hope you're right."

Her reply concerned him a little, but Eugene somehow managed to hide any doubt he had and instead mustered up one last smile. Taking in a deep breath, he watched as the end of the staircase became closer and closer, and as they reached the top, Eugene reached forward and reluctantly eased open the door.

"Rapunzel!" the joyous cry came from inside, and Eugene was nearly knocked aside by the Queen, who rushed forward to give her daughter a tight hug. King Edward soon followed, and both relieved parents quickly scooped up their daughter in a loving embrace.

"Oh, honey…" Queen Amelia sighed in relief, stroking the young princess's hair. "We were so worried…We both had no clue where you had gone!"

"I'm sorry for scaring you, Mother," Rapunzel apologized. "But…I just couldn't stand being with Robert any longer…"

Queen Amelia's smile faded, and a look of sympathy took its place. "Oh, Rapunzel…I completely understand. I'm so sorry…"

Rapunzel nodded, still staring at the ground as she wrapped her arms around herself and walked into the foyer with her family. Eugene followed close behind, shutting the door, and King Edward looked back at the young man and gave him what seemed like a nod of thanks. Eugene nodded in response with a small smile, but within a few seconds, that smile completely disappeared.

There was Robert.

The marshmallow-suited prince stood, arms crossed, leaning against a nearby bookcase. As soon as the small group entered the room, he looked up, but his gaze wasn't on the royal family at all. Instead, his livid glare was firmly locked on Eugene.

Eugene didn't even want to _walk_ any farther into the foyer, but he still followed close behind the royal family, who were walking closer and closer to the prince. However, when _Rapunzel_ caught sight of the brooding, blonde-haired young man, she froze instantly with a gasp. She opened her mouth to say something, but Queen Amelia quickly came to her rescue, stepping between her and the glaring young prince.

"Robert," she said as gently as she could. Eugene was surprised—he knew how much the Queen disliked Robert, and yet, she could mask her contempt for him so well. Now he only wished that Robert could do the same for his feelings about _Eugene_…

"Would you mind if Edward and I had a word with our daughter?" the Queen asked.

Robert flashed his "oh-so-charming" pearly white grin and bowed before the Queen, holding out his long black cape.

"But of course, Your Majesty," he smiled.

With a nod of acknowledgement, the Queen lay a hand on the still-shocked Rapunzel's shoulder, and gently escorted her daughter out of the room, King Edward following close behind.

"B-but, wait!" Rapunzel stammered in surprise, looking over her shoulder. "What about Eugene?"

Eugene thought he saw Robert clench his fists out of the corner of his eye.

Eugene watched as King Edward whispered something quietly in his daughter's ear, and Queen Amelia turned and gave the young man an apologetic look. Eugene nodded and tried not to look disappointed. He understood—as a family, they had a right to have a private conversation, of course. And he had no problem with that. What he _did_ have a problem with, however, was…Ugh.

Robert.

The royal trio exited the room, the door closed behind them, and the room was dead silent as the marshmallow-suited prince and the ex-thief stood there, glaring at each other with eyes like daggers. Finally, Robert broke the silence, and a smug grin came across his face as he stared down nonchalantly at his fingertips.

"So, _Eugene_," he spat out the name like it was a disgusting food, "I said we would resume our little talk when we returned to the castle, and here we are. So, let's get down to business." His gaze shot straight up towards Eugene, and he pounded his fist on a table that happened to be next to him. "How on _earth _do you have the _audacity _to kiss _my_ princess?"

"She's not _your_ princess," Eugene retaliated. "She doesn't belong to _anyone_. She's free to do whatever she wants, and she was the one who kissed _me_. That was _her_ choice."

"Oh, you think you're _so_ great, don't you?" Robert sneered, sliding his fingers across the glass table so stiffly that it made an irritating squeak. "Snap out of your _fantasy_, Eugene. You're just a commoner…You're just a _thief_, and that's all you will _ever_ be."

The mention of his past as a bandit sent another surge of anger flooding through Eugene's body, and he just moved in closer to the arrogant prince. "Look around, Robert. I've changed. I've changed for _her,_ and her alone. That just proves how much I care about her."

"Again, you think you're _so_ great," Robert rolled his eyes, approaching Eugene menacingly. "But you know one thing that you can't change?"

Robert paused until Eugene and he were practically nose-to-nose, and when he spoke, he enunciated every word with a triumphant grin fixed on his face.

"Rapunzel is _my_ wife. And nothing you do or say can change that. And you know what's even worse?" The arrogant prince even dared to shove Eugene back a little with his fingertips. "Until you make yourself scarce, _Eugene, _I can make her life a miserable nightmare."

Eugene gritted his teeth and let out an angry breath through his nose. To think that this jerk was going to treat Rapunzel that way until he left? No. There was no way he was going to let that happen. Before the prince could react, Eugene gripped his wrist, practically fuming.

"I don't think so," he said sternly. "Forget your threats. I won't let you bully her around, _at all_."

"Too bad, Eugene," Robert seemed unfazed, in fact, even amused, by Eugene's angry reaction. "That's the way things are going to be until you _leave_."

"I can't leave her," Eugene pointed out through gritted teeth. "I promised her I wouldn't."

"Well," Robert scoffed, "If you _really_ cared about her, you would get out of here. _Right. Now._"

Robert's comment just made him grip the prince's wrist even tighter.

"Of course I care about her!" Eugene's voice was rising. "I _love _her!"

"She doesn't love you!" Robert's voice was escalating as well.

"Open your eyes, you arrogant idiot! Of course she—"

"No one could ever love you!"

"Now, just, shut up—"

"Your own _parents_ didn't even love you, you filthy little orphan!"

Robert's harsh words came as a complete slap in the face to Eugene, and he drew back with a gasp, letting go of the prince's wrist. It was almost as if he had been stabbed with pure hurt and shock; ever since he was six, he had been an orphan—his parents had passed away in an awful fire that he would _never_ forget. And even back then, no one had really been that kind to a poor orphan boy like him. However, no one, _nobody at all_, had dared to say something so cruel to him.

That was the last straw.

Overwhelmed with a complete avalanche of emotions, Eugene drew back his fist, ready to give that snobbish prince a punch he would never forget.

"Eugene!"

Eugene's fist froze in midair as Rapunzel flew in out of nowhere and stood between the two men, holding up her hands. Wide-eyed with surprise, Eugene reluctantly let his fist fall to his side, clenching them both so tightly his fingernails dug painfully into his palms. He stared down at the ground, shuddering with angry breaths, trying his best to hold in the hot tears that threatened to spill over.

Rapunzel let out a breath as she saw Eugene lower his fist, and then, her face melted into pure rage as she whirled around to confront Robert.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" she shrieked. "How the heck do you even have the nerve to _say_ something like that? Don't you—"

That's all Eugene heard before turning and bolting from the room.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel's cry sounded behind him, but he didn't slow a bit, just racing down the hallway and practically flying up the staircase. He had to get to his room.

He had to get out of here.

Robert's last comment had driven him over the edge. He just couldn't take it anymore. But that wasn't the reason he was leaving. No, the reason he had to go was this: If Robert was bold enough to say something that cruel without even holding his tongue, then there was no doubt that his previous threat would hold true.

Unless he left, Robert would do everything in his power to make Rapunzel's life as horrible as it could be.

And he just couldn't allow that.

Fleeing into his bedroom and slamming and locking the door behind him, he finally let his furious tears fall, cursing himself as he wiped them away. This was ridiculous.

_Just stop it,_ he commanded himself mentally, trying to get it all together as he scoured his room for things he would need. _Stop it, Eugene! You know what you have to do. You know it's for the best._

And as much as he hated to admit it, it was for the best.

Just, how was he going to explain that to Rapunzel?

Suddenly, he looked up as the princess began banging on his door, calling after him.

"Eugene?" the voice came from the other side of the door. "Eugene! Eugene, please come out! Look, I'm sorry! Robert's a jerk, just—Will you please come out here? I need to talk to you! Eugene!"

Eugene took a deep breath and began making his way towards the door, but he stopped mid-step. No, if he went out there and tried to talk to Rapunzel, there was no way that she would let him leave. But he _had_ to leave.

He had to.

With one last sigh, he shut his eyes to restrain himself. It took everything he had to turn away from that door, but somehow, he did it, and went right back to packing. He didn't even really pay attention as he grabbed the satchel off of his bed and threw pretty much random things into it—There was just one thought on his mind.

_I have to get out of here_.

This and that flew into the satchel, and he didn't even bother to double-check what he had packed, he was so overwhelmed. Finally, after he had fit everything he could into the small knapsack, he slung it over his shoulder and held onto the edge of the bed, trying to steady himself.

Could he really do this?

Rapunzel was still at the door, begging for him to come out.

"Eugene, can I at least talk to you? Please! Eugene? I need to know if you're ok! Eugene!"

Eugene swallowed, shaking his head, the tears threatening to fall once again.

He _had_ to do this.

He loved Rapunzel too much to let her suffer. Sure, it would break her heart, but one of these days, she would finally be happy again. Maybe, once he left, Robert would change. He would stop complaining, stop degrading her, and stop acting like such a jerk. Maybe it was _Eugene's_ fault the prince acted that way. Maybe now, he would treat Rapunzel right, and the princess would be happy. And that was all that really mattered, right? For her to be happy.

But still inside, Eugene kicked himself. He was breaking a promise, and that wasn't something to be taken lightly. A promise was a promise. How on earth could he lie to his true love?

But then another thought flashed through his mind. When they were out there, in the courtyard…

_"Don't leave me, Eugene…Please…don't leave…"_

_"Rapunzel, I promise, I'll do whatever I can to make you happy."_

Whatever it took.

And if this is what it was going to have to take, so be it.

_But without even saying goodbye?_ Eugene thought, plopping down on the bed and putting his head in his hands. Suddenly, he had an idea. Rising from the bed, he ran over to his dresser, where he found a pad of paper and a bit of charcoal. Rapunzel had been giving him drawing lessons before this whole Robert mess had stirred up (although, he knew he'd never be as great of an artist as her), but right then, he wasn't here for drawing. Ripping a sheet from the pad, he tried his best to scribble out a message with the charcoal. When he was finally satisfied with his letter, he set it on the bed, and then listened intently as he noticed something different about the room.

The banging had ceased.

Seizing this golden opportunity, Eugene unlocked the door as quietly as he could, so Rapunzel would be able to get in and read his note. Then, without wasting a second, he rushed over to the window and eased it open. He had to leave before Rapunzel walked in and tried to stop him.

He hoisted one leg out the window, but froze and let out a sigh, not able to bring himself to leave just yet. Looking back behind him, he saw the castle room that he would be leaving behind, and he thought of everything else he would be saying goodbye to as well.

"Oh…Rapunzel…" he sighed, hardly able to bring himself to leave. How was he going to live without her? Her gorgeous smile…her lighthearted laugh…her magical kiss or her spectacular green eyes…how was he going to manage without all of that?

But he shook his head. Her happiness was most important. If he could live knowing that she was safe and happy, it would be worth it.

Even if it wasn't with _him_.

"I'm so sorry, Blondie…" he whispered, wishing with all his heart that Rapunzel could have heard his apology.

And with that, he slipped out the window, his heart already aching for his lost true love.

* * *

><p><strong>Star Ship Ranger: HA! Robert should fall off of one of these cliffhangers-Lol! Hey, you should pair up with "Thor". In the last chapter, he said Robert should be thrown off the Matterhorn...Maybe you two could conspire? *Evil laugh* ;-)<strong>

**KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun: Yes, that was the same square. Now that I think about it, they probably didn't need Maximus that much-But it was just cool to have him there; Gives Pascal someone to chill out with while Eugene and Punzie have their "moment". lol**

**WickedSong: Wow! Well, happy watching! Gosh, I love that movie...but you already knew that! ;-)**

**RadosianStar: I'm sorry if it seems too similar-Originally, Eugene was going to give her a cupcake, but that didn't really have as much romantic properties, and besides, he already gave her a cupcake! Then it was going to be a necklace, but I thought of your story and didn't want it to sound like I was copying you. So I went with the locket-I knew Eugene needed to give her _some_ kind of gift. Sorry again if it seems similar...it was _completely _accidental, I promise.**

**kittehkitty2: Awww! Thanks _so_ much! I feel happy now...Tee hee! I'm glad you like it so much. Gosh, I wish I really _could_ get this thing published. Wouldn't that be amazing? If only you could publish your story, too. It's SOOOOOOO good! It'd be right next to mine on the bestseller shelf (If mine ever made it up there)-Lol...But seriously, thanks! Oh, and what you said about review replies, it's ok. You're not taking my idea. I actually got this from _another_ story I read (muahahahaha...I'm a thief...Flynn's taught me well...JK!) so feel free to use it. I didn't come up with it or anything. It's just a convenient way to get back to your reviewers.**

**The end!**

**Well, not of the story...Thank goodness. Just the review replies.**

**More chapters soon!**

**I apologize for leaving you guys hanging once again...Please, put the frying pan _down_!**

**Oh, and review! Reviews make Pascal happy!...and me, but who cares about me! ;-)**


	9. Gone

**Hello, fanfiction readers of the planet Earth! (And also Neptune...Yes, they have Wi-fi there!)**

**So here's Chapter 9 of All That Really Mattered! I know the last chapter came as a shock to a lot of you guys, (He left! That even made _me_ sad!) and the last chapter was my most popular one yet, when it came to reviews! (You guys rock!) But here's Chapter 9; I hope you guys enjoy it!**

**But before we begin, a word to all the Robert-haters out there! (Which should be all of you!)**

**But seriously-I'm not sure if I should be psyched or concerned about how much you guys hate my antagonist! Lol...Let me just tell you a few facts here. Out of all of the reviews I've gotten for this whole story, 19 have involved either me or one of you guys killing Robert in some way! Other reviews speak of methods of torture by frying pan, attack by Pascal, or just some plain method of getting this jerk to LEAVE (usually in a painful way)!**

**Some of these include:**

**Eugene and Rapunzel making s'mores, pretending they're Robert, and destroying them violently! -Silverbellsb**

**Throwing everyone's favorite prince off of the Empire State Building! -EdwardBellaAndSasuSaku4Eva**

**Letting Max trample him! -jellybubblebean**

**Having him spontaneously combust due to all the evil in his veins! -Harryfan626**

**Having an ogre eat him! -TinySlippers**

**Using Robert as a pinata and bashing him with frying pans! -KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun**

**And my personal favorite...  
><strong>

**"Okay, so, Eugene, Pascal, and Maximus are going to come attack Robert while he's sleeping, and Eugene can have a frying pan, Pascal can use his tongue, and Max can... have a frying pan too, and threaten to trample him. So, they're gonna tell him to stay away from Rapunzel, and sing the song Stay Away by Dave Barnes, and tell him to stop breaking her heart. THEN, they hit him repeatedly over the head with frying pans, and Pascal uses his tongue powers, and they tie him up, and banish him to the Island of Perpetual Tickling! MUAHAHAHAHAH!"**

**Thanks to sunnyprincessbird for that one... ;-)**

**Yeah...Sorry if I didn't include yours, but all you guys's ideas were amazing! I was going to make alternate endings with all of your "Robert death ideas", but you can only imagine how long that would take...**

**You'll just see what happens. Hope you're satisfied with it!**

**Alright, enough ranting. Onto chapter 9! (Review replies at the end, as usual. Check and see if you're down there!)**

**Oh, and one more heads up, this is looking unlikely, but there is an _ever so slight_ chance that I am going to change the rating to T, but only for some upcoming violence. I'm still debating it. Nothing odd or explicit, just some ACTION! WAPOW! *Ninja kick***

**Yeah...**

**Oh, yeah, and I'm gonna use my MAD NINJAH SKILLZ TO GRAB DA RIGHTS TO TANGLED! WAPOW!**

***Crashes through window* **

**WAH! HASAKI, WA-CHOOPAH POWWWWW! *Random ninja shouting***

***Kicks aside glass door, grabs document, and jumps over lasers, back out window***

**AHA! I HAZ IT! ME SO HAPPYYYYYYY! *Hugs document then rips it open***

**Document: _Congratulations! You now own the rights to our newest Disney film, Winnie the Pooh-_**

**Me, the awesome ninja: SAY WHAAAAAAAAT?**

**Yeah...I don't own Tangled. Or Winnie the Pooh. SORRY!**

**Chapter Song: "Haunted" by Taylor Swift (Thanks to Liz McCallus for showing me this song!)**

* * *

><p>Rapunzel jolted up as she heard the click of Eugene's door unlocking, echoing through the empty hallway. With a sigh of relief, she scurried up from the wall she was slumped against and rushed over to his door. He must be feeling better now—Maybe he was willing to let her in.<p>

She let out a sigh as she leaned against the door without opening it. Maybe Eugene needed just a little bit more time. Oh, gosh…She felt so sorry for him. Robert had just gone too far.

_"Your own _parents_ didn't even love you, you filthy little orphan!"_

She clenched her fists as the words echoed in her head. She had just finished speaking with her parents about her trip to the kingdom, when suddenly, she had heard yelling coming from the foyer. She remembered her heart sinking as she opened the door, and then, she had gasped in complete and utter shock that Robert would even _dare_ to say something like that.

And to think…_That_ was the man she had to marry?

No. She just couldn't. As soon as she persuaded Eugene to come back out, they would march straight down and talk to her parents—Maybe even the council. Yes, that's exactly what they had to do. She would tell those dim-witted jerks _exactly_ what she thought of Robert, and maybe, with enough persuasion, they would _finally_ find it in their hearts to abolish that stupid law!

Rapunzel was so caught up in her idea that she already started planning out what Eugene and she would say in her mind. Then, she shook her head. First things first—The important thing was that she made sure Eugene was okay before they did _anything_.

"Eugene?" she said quietly, gently rapping on the door. "Eugene, are you ok?"

No reply.

"Eugene, please talk to me," Rapunzel pleaded, knocking a little harder on the door. Maybe he just hadn't heard her.

Still silence.

_Well, he unlocked the door…_ Rapunzel thought hopefully. _Maybe he's just waiting for me to go in there first._

Taking in a deep breath, she put her hand on the doorknob and hesitantly turned it, slowly easing the door open.

"Eugene?" her voice was soft, but still, it echoed in the deathly silent room. Entering through the door, she looked around.

No sign of Eugene. At all.

Now she was just plain confused. Where the heck was he? He hadn't opened the door and left…she would have seen it. Baffled, she walked to the other side of the room, looking around. Was he just waiting in the shadows somewhere to jump out and scare her? No…he would never do that—Not under these kind of circumstances, when he knew how much stress she was under. Unease beginning to churn in her stomach, she checked in his closet, on the other side of his bed, and even out the window.

No Eugene.

"Eugene?" she asked worriedly, her heart beginning to pound. "Ok…this isn't funny…Please, come out now!"

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"Eugene—"

Suddenly she froze as she spotted it. The page of paper on the bed.

"What…?" she breathed, completely confused. After a second of deliberation, she hesitantly moved towards the page on the bed, taking it up in surprise. Turning it over, she saw the message, written hurriedly in what looked like charcoal. But the thing that surprised her the most was the handwriting. Scrawled as it was, she recognized it perfectly.

This was Eugene's handwriting.

The butterflies in her stomach grew even more numerous as she began to read the note.

_Rapunzel,_

_Before I begin, I just want to say…I am _so_ sorry. I hope you can forgive me for what I'm about to say. _

"What?" Rapunzel gasped in a whisper. Her heart was pounding at a hundred miles an hour now, and her eyes scanned the page anxiously, desperate to know what was going on.

_I've left, Blondie. And…I'm not really planning on coming back._

_It's not you. It's not you at all—Don't blame yourself for a second. I just…I don't want to hurt you. Please, just give me a chance to explain._

_Robert's a jerk, and I think I know why—Me. He can't stand the competition, so he was going to try and go through you to get to me. And I couldn't let that happen. Rapunzel, you are my world. And I couldn't live knowing that you weren't happy. Please try to understand._

_What I did, I'm pretty sure, will all end up being for the best. I know right now, you're probably angry, heartbroken, or you just feel plain betrayed. After all, I did promise I would stay. And I completely understand if you hate me for this. Heck, I would hate me too, if I was you._

_But I just want you to know, I also promised that I would do whatever I could to make you happy. And right now, I know you're probably wondering how the heck me leaving is supposed to make you happy. But time will make this better. Now that I'm gone, maybe marshmallow boy will shape up, and treat you how you deserve to be treated: Like the beautiful, wonderful, absolutely _perfect_ young woman that I know you are._

_Rapunzel…I love you. Please, don't ever forget that. And this choice to leave was probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make. But I did it because I love you. Gosh, Blondie…I love you so much…_

_I know the first thing you're going to do is go out looking for me. Please—as much as this pains me to say this—Please don't. Please don't send out any guards, or tell any of the officials to search for me. I left for a reason, and I know that if I'm sent back to the castle, Robert is just going to go back to being the idiot that he's always been. Please…I don't want that for you. I love you too much to have you go through that._

_I understand if you hate me for this…Of course, I don't want you to, but I completely understand. Just…again, Blondie…I love you. I will always love you. And I promise, we'll see each other again someday._

_And that is a promise I intend to keep._

_You're going to make a great queen someday. I'm sure of it. And even though I can't be your prince, I wish you endless happiness, whatever life throws at you._

_I'm _so_ sorry that I never really got to say goodbye. I'm probably going to regret that forever. I wish I could have kissed you one last time. I wish I could have held you in my arms before I left. I wish more than anything that I could have gazed into your gorgeous green eyes one final time before I chose to leave. And I wish…I wish I could have told you in person that I loved you._

_So please hear me when I say it now._

_I love you forever, Blondie._

_—Eugene _

"No…" Rapunzel gasped, the word barely audible. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she frantically scanned over the note again, as if that would change anything. "No!" she cried out, loudly this time.

The note shook in her hands as she tried to catch her breath…Tried to comprehend what was going on…This couldn't be true…Eugene couldn't be _gone_…She could feel the tears of disbelief flooding her eyes, and before she knew it, cascading down her cheeks. Within just a few seconds, she had collapsed on the bed, clutching the letter close to her chest, her whole body racking with sobs.

How could he have left her?

"Eugene…" the word escaped her lips in a choked whisper. "Eugene…no…Please…Please come back to me!"

She barely heard the footsteps coming down the hall over her own sobs, but when she looked up through her teary eyes, she was surprised to see both of her parents standing in the doorway.

"Rapunzel?" Queen Amelia gasped, rushing over to her crying daughter's side. "Rapunzel, honey, what's wrong?"

"He's gone…" she sobbed, clutching the note even closer to her chest. "Mother, he's gone…"

The Queen sat down next to her, and Rapunzel threw herself into her mother's arms, completely unable to stop weeping.

"Shhh…shh, shh, shh…" Queen Amelia stroked her daughter's hair, trying to calm her, to no avail. Rapunzel felt a hand rubbing her back, and looked up to see her father standing over her, a concerned look on his face.

"Who's gone, dear?" Queen Amelia asked.

Rapunzel swallowed, unable to get rid of the lump in her throat. She wrapped her arms around herself as she shuddered with sobs…as if that would calm her in any way. She wanted to answer her mother's question—she really did—but she just couldn't seem to make out the word. She still didn't believe it herself, but it was true. It was if her whole world had been ripped away from her in one split second…just like that. And it was just too appalling to believe.

But it was true, and as much as it pained her, she _had _to answer.

"Eugene," she choked out. The answer came out in a mere whisper, but it sent her over the edge once again. Overwhelmed with emotion, she began sobbing into her hands, completely unable to even _think_. How could she think with him gone?

How did he expect her to go on?

She barely heard her parents' words over her own sobs, and the only thing she could focus on was the silent plea that echoed inside her head.

_Eugene…Please…Please don't leave me…Please come back to me! I need you! Please…Please, Eugene…_

She wished more than anything that he could somehow hear her thoughts.

O-O-O-O-O

The first night without Eugene was undoubtedly the worst night of Rapunzel's life.

She hadn't been able to sleep a wink—What if she ended up having nightmares and Eugene wasn't there to soothe her? Of course, she could always go to her parents, but it just wouldn't be the same.

Nothing would _ever_ be the same. Not with him gone.

Besides, she had too much on her mind to sleep anyway. With a sigh, she flipped over in the bed for like the millionth time and stared at nothing in particular in the dark room…Just completely caught up in her thoughts.

She didn't know who she hated more right now. She hated Robert—Of that, there was no doubt whatsoever. He _had_ been the one who had provoked Eugene to leave, and she still couldn't get over the fact that that ridiculous prince had insulted Eugene so cruelly. The worst part about Robert? He was going to end up being her _husband_, and there was nothing Rapunzel could do about it. And he knew it, too.

But of course, she also hated the council. They were the ones who were too stubborn to fix this mess! If they had just looked past Eugene's history and looked at him _now_, they wouldn't be in this situation at all. Prince Snobbert would have never come into the picture, and Rapunzel and Eugene would still be together. Eugene would have never left, and everything would be absolutely _perfect_.

But, as much as she yearned to, Rapunzel couldn't change what had already happened.

At first, she had been angry at Eugene a bit, but she in no way _hated_ him. And she couldn't stay angry at him, anyways. Not when she missed him so much…She'll admit, she _did_ feel abandoned, but she couldn't blame Eugene. What he did, he did for her.

And that just made her think of the third person she hated: Herself.

Even though Eugene had specifically told her not to blame herself, she just couldn't help it. It was _her_ happiness that he had been concerned about, and he had left so _her_ life could be better. It seemed like it was all about _her_, and she hated it. Maybe if her feelings hadn't been Eugene's top priority, he wouldn't have left.

So deep down inside, she felt like this was all _her _fault.

Suddenly, a huge clap of thunder scared the princess half to death, and she jolted up to a sitting position, trying to catch her breath.

_Another storm, _she thought, now hearing the rain pounding on the roof. It had been raining intermittently all that night…Rapunzel thought it fit her depressed mood perfectly. She drew her knees close to her chest, letting out a sigh as a flash of lightning illuminated the dark room. Was Eugene out there, cold and alone in the rain? Her heart sank as she pictured him huddled up in some alleyway, rainwater dripping from his soaked brown hair onto his freezing, drenched clothes…The mere thought made her shiver. She hoped and prayed he had made it someplace warm for the night.

Another blast of thunder made the room rattle, and Rapunzel saw Pascal leap into the air in fright, awakening from his deep sleep. The little chameleon landed with a plop on the foot of the bed, where he had been sleeping, and then, after gathering his senses once again, looked around. When he saw how dejected Rapunzel looked, he scurried over to her and curled up against her toe, letting out a quiet squeak.

"No, it's not just the rain," Rapunzel answered with a sigh. "I just…can't get over the fact that Eugene's gone."

Pascal cocked his head to the side and let out another squeak.

"How can things get better?" Rapunzel asked angrily, twisting around, slamming her feet on the floor and irritably rising from the bed. She paced around the room as she spoke. "The love of my life left me alone with the biggest jerk on the planet, and someday, that jerk's gonna be my _husband_. And there's nothing that can change that!" Overcome with emotion, she gripped onto one of her curtains, tears flooding her eyes again. She tried to blink them away, but her efforts were in vain, as one rouge drop found its way past the bottom of her eye and spilled down her cheek. Pascal curled up timorously in the bed, letting out another, more timid squeak.

Rapunzel sighed, immediately guilty at yelling at her friend. She kneeled on the ground and held out her hand, and after a moment of hesitation, the little chameleon leapt from the bed and scuttled into her open palm.

"I'm sorry, Pascal," she apologized, rising to her feet and stroking the little reptile's head. "I just…" she let out a sigh as she opened the curtains, "I just don't know what to do…"

For a moment, the two of them were silent, as Rapunzel gazed out of the open window over the kingdom. It was late, all the shops were closed, and there wasn't a light on anywhere Rapunzel could see. The only luminosity was the moon, and even that was barely noticeable, almost fully concealed by the dark clouds that blanketed the sky. Buckets of rain tumbled down from the heavens, and Rapunzel flinched as another bolt of lightning ignited the sky. The rumble of thunder soon followed, and the princess couldn't help but think that this window view mirrored _exactly _what she was feeling inside. If someone dissected her soul in that moment, she was _sure_ this was precisely what they would find.

"Eugene…" she whispered, gazing out over the bleak, dreary scene. "Are you out there? Are you ok?"

She fell silent again, wishing that someone would give her an answer…though of course, she knew it would never come. She wondered again where Eugene was right that instant. Had he found somewhere warm to stay? Was he even still awake? If he was, what was he thinking about? Was he thinking of her? Maybe dreaming of her…

She knew for sure that he was the only thing on _her_ mind.

_I have to find him,_ Rapunzel thought, _but I can't! _He had specifically said not to come looking for him, and not to send anyone out to look for him. No guards, no nothing. Rapunzel had talked to her parents about that, and they had said to respect his wishes. They would let the guards go about their duties, but had requested that the patrollers let them know if they saw _any_ sign of Eugene.

But was that really enough?

Rapunzel wished more than anything that Eugene had come to talk to her, first. But she knew the truth—No way would she have let him leave. And that was what he had been afraid of. And she knew that he was trying to make her happy, but how on earth was _this_ supposed to make her happy? If only he could see what she was going through!

Her eyes fell on the golden locket that he had given her at the kingdom. This whole day, she had been wearing it, and nobody had said anything to her about it-Maybe it was because they knew how depressed she was, now that Eugene was gone, or they just hadn't noticed. But she knew. As she gently let her fingertips touch the cold, heart-shaped gold, she heard Eugene's words echo in her head.

_"I needed to find something…something to show you that'd I'd always be with you, no matter what Prince Snobbert does."_

_Always be with me..._ Rapunzel thought, tears flooding her eyes once again. _And now you're gone...This is all I have left!_

"Eugene, I miss you_ so_ much…" she closed her eyes as she whispered the words, letting out a silent plea that he would come back, soon…That he would return _now_…If only he could hear her…if only he could know what _torture_ she was going through…

The only reply was another clap of thunder, and with a sigh, she pulled the curtains shut and walked back over to her bed, slipping underneath the covers. Pascal curled up next to her, giving her one last sympathetic look before shutting his little eyes and drifting off into slumber. The mere sight of the sleeping chameleon made Rapunzel yawn. She _was_ tired, but she doubted that she would be able to get even a second of sleep tonight.

How could she sleep without Eugene?

How could she breathe without him?

How could she _go on_ without him?

How could she live…without her dream?

* * *

><p><strong>kittehkitty2: <strong>Not a problem! You deserve those compliments!

**Starship Ranger: **Thank you very much!

**Wickedsong:** So no more love to hate? Ha. Is that good or bad? *Scared face...*

**EugeneandRapunzelFitzherbert: **Don't hug Robert. Strangle him. Please.

**RadiosianStar: **Well, I knew I wanted him to give her a gift, and then, when I was trying to come up with an idea for it, I wanted to make sure it specifically wasn't a necklace. Sorry, again, if it sounded similar!

**chickadee650: **AHA! You caught it! Tee hee hee...Just keep reading.

**dannybird22: **OMG! I am _so_ sorry! Honestly, I remember typing in your name for a review reply, but I think that was the one time the document uploader messed up and I had to start all over. No cookie requried-Your reviews are enough! And for an extra special first shout-out *THROWS CONFETTI AND FIREWORKS GO OFF* YAY DANNYBIRD22! How was that?

Sorry, I would have put more replies, but I'm kind of being rushed :-(

More soon! I hope you enjoy!


	10. Here Without You

**OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYYYYYY GOSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH!**

**I'm so sorry this took so long! Lol...I even got a review asking me why it was taking so long for me to update (Thank you, "Person" ;-) ) and I just want to apologize! Anything and everything has been going on, and I've barely got a chance to get a hold of my laptop. Then, when I did, I found out I had WRITER'S BLOCK! Ugh. What a nightmare. But, after praying for inspiration, God finally gave me this huge writing explosion! YAY! (Thank you, God! ;-) )**

**Anyway, here's the chapter. And it's long. Yay. Just a little heads up, my chapters are probably going to get longer-I've actually been trying to limit myself so you guys don't end up reading for like ten bazillion years, but I'm not very successful...I hope you guys don't mind.**

**And this story's probably going to be longer than any of my other ones, too, chapter-wise. Hope that isn't a problem either.**

**Just a little Disney thought for the Disney-obsessed...*Raises hand* And one of my reviewers also brought this up...I thought the same thing. Gaston. Robert. EVIL TWINS! Well, they're both evil, but...They're so alike, aren't they? I just realized that after watching the movie about three chapters ago. The only difference is that Gaston doesn't dress like a colorblind pin cushion...Oh, well. Just thought it was kind of funny!**

**Review replies at the end! (As usual...)**

**Oh, and just one more little thing; This chapter has a SONG! I found this on a CD I just got and listened to the lyrics-They seemed almost _perfect_ for what Eugene and Rapunzel are going through. The song is called "Here Without You" and it's by 3 Doors Down. Check it out if you get the chance!**

**Ok, enough yapping. You guys have been waiting like, forever for this, so here it is. Please don't murder me. Remember, I'm the only one who knows how this ends! MUAHAHAHA!**

**I've tried countless times to grab the rights to Tangled, but all my plans have ended in failure, so I still don't own Tangled. My next plan involves a flame thrower and some mashed potatoes! Oh...and also a Snuggie...This is going to be epic. ;-)**

* * *

><p>The next morning, Eugene jolted out of his slumber with a start.<p>

He had dreamed of his parents last night.

Oh, gosh…He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to wipe away the cold sweat and snap himself back into reality. He hadn't dreamed about his parents in years. _Years._ Yet, last night, they had haunted his dreams once again. Both them and Rapunzel. That was all he could think about.

_Rapunzel…_ he sighed mentally, images of her face flooding his mind. How had she reacted to him leaving? Was she even ok? He fell silent, wishing that someone would give him an answer…though of course, he knew it would never come. He wondered what Rapunzel was doing right that instant. Had she been able to cope with his disappearance? Had she been able to sleep? Was she even still awake? If she was, what was she thinking about? Was she thinking of him? Maybe dreaming of him…

As much as he wanted to remain in her thoughts, deep down inside, he hoped not. If he resided in her thoughts just as much as she haunted his, he knew how torturous that would be. He didn't want that for her. The whole reason he _left_ was for her to be happy!

With a groan, he painfully rose to a standing position, every bone in his body aching from sleeping on the cobblestones all night. He looked up at the awning above him, thankful that the owner of whatever shop that was had forgotten to put it down last night. Looking around, he could still see the puddles that last night's storm had left all around the kingdom, and looking up, he noticed another swarm of dark, ominous clouds moving in. He prayed that it wouldn't rain again today—He couldn't stay under the awning forever.

Looking across the street, Eugene spotted the baker emerging from his store and reversing his sign so it read "open". Eugene heard his stomach rumble, and mentally cursed himself. Had he grabbed cash when he was in such a rush to leave? Heck, he didn't even recall grabbing any _food_. Not smart. Not smart at all.

Well, the only way to know for sure was check. With a sigh, Eugene grabbed the satchel slung over his shoulder and flipped open the flap. He sighed in relief as he saw the coins settled on top of all the other random chaos in the satchel. They weren't much, but they would get him by, for a while. Now that he was out on his own, he would probably have to get a job…And no matter how much the King and Queen might of fancied him, how on earth could a—albeit former—thief expect to be hired? He was thankful just to have the few coins he did for the time being.

Now not so angry at himself, he closed the flap and pulled the satchel up over his shoulder, making his way towards the bakery. His stomach grumbled once again, and Eugene tried his best to resist buying a huge amount of food. Just a bit of bread—and he would ration it. He had to make this money last.

But even as he purchased the bread, exited the store, slumped against a nearby wall and dug into his snack, his thoughts were elsewhere.

_Rapunzel…_

He just couldn't get his mind off of her. Was this a smart move, him leaving? Now he was beginning to have second thoughts…

Eugene shook his head. No. He couldn't go back. What if he was right, and Robert was going to make Rapunzel miserable as long as Eugene was around? If he went back, there was no way Rapunzel would let him leave again. And then Robert would make her life as unbearable as he could…

_No,_ Eugene thought, wincing as he tried to rid himself of the images of that _jerk_ making Rapunzel's life a living nightmare. He was _not_ going to let that happen. As much as he wanted to, he wasn't going back.

He couldn't go back.

Besides, he didn't need the castle. He could take care of himself. He was a grown man now…Not a petty little orphan. He would get by.

_Then again,_ Eugene thought, taking another bite of the warm bread, _most grown men have a job, a house, and no criminal past hanging over their heads…_

Ok, so this was going to be tougher than he thought.

_But,_ Eugene reminded himself for the thousandth time, _if Rapunzel's happy, that's what's important. That's what matters. You'll survive, Eugene. You'll survive. Think of her. That's all that really matters._

After closing his eyes and repeating that to himself a couple of times, he started to feel better.

That is, until he thought of her hand intertwined with Robert's.

"Agh!" Eugene let out an anguished gasp as he dug his fingernails into his scalp, trying to will the painful images away. But they just came faster and faster.

Robert and Rapunzel at dinner together.

Robert's arm around Rapunzel's waist.

His lips against hers.

Rapunzel in her wedding dress.

…An angel he would never get to hold again.

Eugene quickly rose to his feet and ran from the busy sidewalk, holding back the angry tears the best he could. He was _not_ going to cry…not in front of all these people…He could _not_ lose it here…

Finally, Eugene found refuge deep in an abandoned alleyway, practically collapsing to the ground against the rough brick wall. He rubbed irritably at his face, trying to calm himself. What's done was _done_. That was the way things had to be.

_Her happiness…_ Eugene told himself once again. _That's all that matters—her happiness. She deserves to be happy…Even if…Even if I never feel happy again._

Eugene's hands went to his face once again as he tried to calm the aggrieved breaths that shook his body. Instead of thinking of Rapunzel and _Robert_ together, he tried to picture memories of Rapunzel and _himself_…But all that did was fill him with even more pain and regret. She was _gone…_He would never see that face again…

"Oh, gosh, Blondie…" Eugene sighed out loud, wishing with every fiber of his being that that beautiful girl could hear him. "I miss you so much…You have no idea how much I love you."

_So much for Flynn Rider and his rock-solid emotions…_ Eugene scoffed in his mind. For someone who prided himself on being strong and tough, he was a wreck. Apparently, when it came to the woman he loved, he just couldn't help what he felt inside.

With a sigh, Eugene finally took his hands from his face and slipped the satchel from his shoulder, setting it on his lap and flipping it open inattentively. Better just to face facts…To deal with reality. Rapunzel was gone, and this was the better decision. There was nothing he could do about it, so it would be better to just snap back into the real world; he was going to be living out here, alone, whether he liked it or not. So, might as well check his satchel, see if he grabbed anything useful in that moment where he just absentmindedly tossed everything in there.

Eugene let out a sigh as he checked the contents. The coins were there; he slipped those in his pocket for safekeeping. Among them were a few other things: a few articles of clothing he couldn't believe he had folded up tightly enough to fit in there, a comb, some random sheet of paper he had no use for, a pair of gloves—guess those would come in handy—a pair of socks…

And…Wait.

What the heck was that?

Eugene looked curiously into the satchel after removing all of the other items and spotting some sort of glint. What else did he have in there?

He stuck his hand into the bag and was even more baffled to grip something cold and metal. Or wait…was that…gold?

With a shrug, Eugene pulled out the mysterious item. Suddenly, he froze, nearly dropping it on the ground in surprise. Eyes wide, he gasped as he examined it, almost as if it wasn't real. But of course it was real. It was right here, in front of him!

It was Rapunzel's crown.

Why on earth did he have the princess's crown?

Suddenly, memories all came flooding back into his mind. That day in the courtyard…When they were goofing around and he had playfully "stole" the crown…

Oh, gosh. He hadn't put it back.

He had Rapunzel's crown.

Heart pounding, Eugene shoved the crown back into the satchel, tossing all the other objects on top of it. What on earth was he going to do? If a guard or something found him, who _knows_ what they would think? They wouldn't think he left for the good of Rapunzel…They would think he swiped the crown and split. Then they would drag him back to the castle, and…Oh, man…Who knows what chaos would occur next?

One thing was for sure—it wouldn't be pretty.

_No,_ Eugene shook his head, closing the satchel in a hurry and looking around as if a swarm of guards were spying on him right that instant. _I can't go back. I can't let them find me. I have to keep this hidden!_ He hurriedly rose to his feet, his mind swimming. Sooner or later, someone would notice that the crown was gone, and put two and two together. It was only a matter of time…They'd catch him, drag him back to the castle, then he'd have to face Rapunzel once again…and _Robert._ And who knew what they would do to him after that?

No. They would _never_ catch him. No matter what he did, he had to keep this a secret. They couldn't take him back. He couldn't let Rapunzel go through that…

With a sigh, he tried to regain his composure as he emerged from the alleyway, trying to look as inconspicuous as he could. At least he had practice—well, _one_ good thing had come from his Flynn Rider past.

But still, he couldn't rid himself of the unease gnawing away at his stomach. The intensity of it all…Leaving Rapunzel, ending up on the streets once again, discovering the crown…He didn't know how he was going to handle it all. But he _had _to.

Like it or not, he was a fugitive once again.

O-O-O-O-O

"Princess, where on earth is your crown?"

The drowsy princess barely heard her suitor's question. The obnoxious prince glared at her, waiting for an answer, but all Rapunzel could do was stir her fork around on her breakfast plate. She barely slept at _all_ last night, and it was taking everything she had just to keep her eyes open at this breakfast Robert had dragged her to.

"Princess?" Robert pestered her again. "Did you not hear me?"

"I don't _know_, Robert," Rapunzel said irritably, not even looking up from her plate. Why wouldn't he just stop _talking_ to her? He had heard about Eugene's disappearance—Why couldn't he just understand that she was really going through a lot right now?

"My dear, you are a _princess_," Robert just wouldn't shut up. "You need a crown."

"What does it matter?" Rapunzel dropped her fork with a bit more force than necessary, watching as it clattered against the plate. "I'm still a _princess_, crown or no crown."

"But a crown is a symbol of _royalty_—of elegance!" Robert persisted. "With an outfit like _that_, no one would even _know_ you were royalty if it wasn't for your crown!"

_You're one to talk about outfits,_ Rapunzel thought bitterly, eyeing Robert's choice of outfit today. Same marshmallow suit, but today's stripes were like a tangerine and sea green. Rapunzel thought this was the worst clash of colors yet.

"Not to mention," Robert added, eyeing his reflection in a spoon, "your lack of poise. Honestly, Princess, you really need to work on these things if you _ever_ want to become an exceptional queen!

She bit her tongue at another one of the prince's hurtful insults. Was that all he knew how to do? Insult people? However, after all these days with the disrespectful prince, Rapunzel had learned how to ignore his cruel words, though it was nearly unbearable. Some of those days—well, _every_ day, really—Rapunzel just wanted to give that jerk a good punch in the face. But she knew she couldn't do that…Who knew how much trouble she would get in? Heck, that was the only reason she had stopped Eugene from punching the prince; she hadn't wanted Eugene to get in trouble. In fact, after a comment like the one Robert had addressed to Eugene, Rapunzel wouldn't have minded seeing the ex-thief give the snobby prince what he really deserved.

Gosh…Eugene…

The mere thought of him made Rapunzel's heart drop. She _knew_ he had said he left because Robert had threatened to make her life miserable, but he was already doing that right here! Honestly, this was just horrible…Not only was Robert throwing insults like darts, but Eugene wasn't even around to shield her from them anymore.

She needed him so badly…

"…And of course, I'm sure there's a class for that, too," Robert was still yapping on, oblivious to the girl across the table not even paying attention to him. "Nowadays, they have classes for almost everything. Now of course, _I've _never had to take etiquette classes—I was just _born_ with my class and elegance…"

_Eugene…_

He had only left yesterday, but it seemed like he had been gone for years. The few moments Rapunzel _had_ been able to get sleep last night were miserable because her dreams were all about _him_. And in the end of all of them, he had disappeared, or abandoned her, or been ripped away from her in some way…Didn't he understand that she couldn't go on like this?

Rapunzel nearly jumped at the touch of a hand on top of hers, and she looked down petulantly to see Robert's glove on top of her hand. She looked up to see the prince's headache-inducing blue eyes gazing irritably into hers.

"Princess, it is very _rude_ not to look at someone when they're talking to you—"

"You know, Robert," Rapunzel said quickly, sliding her chair backwards so hastily that she nearly knocked it over. "I'm really not that hungry right now. In fact, if you'll excuse me, I just need to…" She didn't even finish her sentence before she shoved her chair under her table and ran off, disappearing through the dining hall exit before Robert could protest.

As she fled up the staircase, a rumble of thunder from an oncoming storm shook the ground beneath her, and it seemed that even God saw all the pain she was going through.

So, why…

…Why couldn't Eugene?

O-O-O-O-O

Rapunzel's tired eyes fluttered open as she heard the soft knock at her door, and drowsily, she emerged from her unkempt bed. She noticed the darkness of the room and looked at the clock, wondering what the heck the time was. Nearly 7:00; she had been asleep for over nine hours. She had practically slept through the whole day—Thank goodness. That was one less day she had to spend with Robert. It was a wonder she had been able to get any rest, seeing how much stress she had been under. Maybe it was because of the rain, which still pounded on the castle roof—it was almost like a sorrowful lullaby, reflecting exactly what she was feeling. She wondered if Eugene was out there, cold and alone in the rain once again…

Another knock came from the door, and she snapped back into reality. Quickly straightening up her tangled brown hair with her fingers, she walked over to the door, nearly opening it before she froze. This _better_ not be Robert.

"Who is it?" Rapunzel asked through gritted teeth.

"Don't worry, Rapunzel," came the familiar voice of her father, "it's just me."

With a sigh of relief, Rapunzel eased open the door and stared up into the loving eyes of her father. Before King Edward could react, the princess propelled herself into his arms, enveloping him in a hug, which the king quickly returned.

"Daddy, I can't do this…" Rapunzel whispered as her father soothingly rubbed her back. "I just can't…Not without Eugene…"

"I know, honey…" King Edward sighed. "I know. I'm so sorry you have to go through all this. But your mother and I are trying. We spoke a bit with the council today, but we're going to have a full meeting tomorrow. Something has to be done about this. I can't stand how that boy is treating you."

Rapunzel looked up gratefully into her father's eyes.

King Edward cleared his throat. "Actually, what I came up here to tell you was that your mother has Robert occupied in the art gallery. I don't know how she did it, but it's a small blessing to you, I guess. Take your time…You can stay up here as long as you need to."

Rapunzel nodded, unable to convey how thankful she was. But she didn't need to. A small smile spread across her face—something that hadn't happened in forever, it seemed—and King Edward noticed it.

"There's that smile I've been looking for," King Edward chuckled, playfully tapping her nose as if she was a child. "I've really missed that smile."

But as soon as he said that, she smile faded, and the mist of oncoming tears replaced the gratitude in her eyes.

"And I've really missed Eugene," she whispered.

King Edward looked down sympathetically at his daughter, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's going to be ok," he reassured her. "We'll do our best to make sure everything turns out all right."

Rapunzel knew her father's words were meant to lift her spirits, but they just sent a new fear into her. _What if their best isn't good enough?_

"Thank you," she said with a quick nod, and then, with a sigh, she turned and retreated back into her room, locking the door behind her just in case Robert got any ideas. She then found herself unable to take her hand from the doorknob, and ended up slumping to the floor against the door.

She. Could. Not. Do. This.

"I can't…" Rapunzel choked out, putting her head in her hands, trying to stop the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She was unsuccessful, and pretty soon her face was stained with tears. Upset with herself, she angrily wiped them away. She was tired of crying…She was stronger than this! She couldn't just cry…

Finally, Rapunzel looked up, gazing through her tears out the window at the sheets of pouring rain. A bright bolt of lightning flashed outside, and a determined look swept over her face as the blast of thunder followed.

She was _not_ going to just cry.

She was going to do something about this.

She quickly rose to her feet and ran over to read Eugene's note, which was right next to her bed on her nightstand. Clutching the message, her eyes positioned themselves on the part that said not to come looking for him.

"…_I know the first thing you're going to do is go looking for me. Please—as much as this pains me to say this—Please don't. Please don't send out any guards, or tell any of the officials to search for me. I left for a reason, and I know that if I'm sent back to the castle, Robert is just going to go back to being the idiot that he's always been. Please…I don't want that for you. I love you too much to have you go through that…"_

_Robert's still an idiot, whether you're here or not, _Rapunzel thought, throwing the note back down on the table. _And you say you don't want me to go through that, but you don't know how I'm suffering now…_

That was it. Immediately, Rapunzel began going through her drawers, thinking of what she would need to accomplish this mission. She was tired of sitting around.

She didn't care what Eugene said—She was going to find him.

Tonight.

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><p><strong>I hope this chapter satisfied you guys, and I hope you guys are interested with the way it's turning out...Things are going to get really interesting soon!<strong>

**Harryfan626: That is an amazing idea. Seriously...I love your little image there! And I hope things don't sound too OOC anymore because now you see she's made that decision. Hope that made everything better.**

**TangledGirlForever: OMG! Made you cry? I'm not sure if I should feel honored or apologize! But interesting idea! Gosh...I wish I could put all of you guys's ideas into some kind of alternate ending!**

**SunnyPrincessBird: Awwwwwww! That would be sweet! And I'm sorry smiley face, for making you cry!**

**dannybird22: YAY! COOKIES! *Grabs half and shares the other half with you for being such a nice reviewer* But really, thanks so much! I'm glad I was able to make the emotional moments believeable and create a hateable (is that a word?) antagonist. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story, and thanks again for reviewing!**

**kittehkitty2: I feel guilty for making you wait so long-But I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And I'll try to get the next one up quicker! I know where the story's going, but of course, I still have to add all the description and detail. You know how it is...But don't worry-I think my story is going to go in a different direction than yours, so it won't seem like I'm copying or whatever. Cause I'm not! PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! Lol...but seriously, thanks.**

**Liz McCallus: Thanks for the tip! I've never heard the song before, but I'll be sure to check it out! And I haven't read the Maximum Ride books yet, but a lot of my friends have-I'm planning on checking them out soon...They seem really good. Anyway, thanks for the reviews!**

**fryingpanninja107: OMG! I feel so guilty for making you sit in the heat and stay at school but I'm honored you'd be willing to do that just to finish the story! I agree with you about the hobby things. I think those would be excellent hobbies for him to take up! ;-) Maybe he should get a pet, too...How about a rabid wolverine? I think they'd get along quite nicely...lol. But anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing! Also, love that username!**

**That should just about do it. You guys have been _amazing_ and I thank you all so much! Every single review just means the world to me. I thank you all so much!**

**More soon! Hopefully the next chapter will come out _much_ faster. Sorry for the wait, and I hope you enjoy the rest!**

**Adios!**


	11. Search in the Storm

**Hello, faithful readers!**

**WOAH. This is a LONG chapter.**

**Sorry it took so long-AGAIN. I was trying to like, only take two or three days to put this out there, and then SO many things started happening. Bleh. I've been _so_ distracted lately. Even now, I don't think this chapter is at its best quality, but still...I hope you like it nonetheless. It just seems like everyone's out-of-character...Gosh, why does it always feel like that? *Angry face that Fanfiction won't let me type* lol**

**But anyway, hope you enjoy it. Sorry again it took so long. Hopefully, the next chapter will come out much quicker.**

**OH MY GOSH. 184 reviews? I LOVE YOU GUYS! We are 5 reviews away from BREAKING THE RECORD! GASP! Then this will be my most popular story, review-wise. But even after we break that record, don't stop! You guys's reviews give me inspiration-Thanks to everyone who reviewed already! You guys are awesome! (Review replies at the end, blah blah blah)**

**Also, I have a poll up on my profile to see what my readers think is my most popular story! No real reason-Just wondering. Please vote, if you haven't already...I like seeing which style of my writing you like the best.**

**Really appreciate everyone taking the time to read this, and I especially appreciate all the reviews! Again, sorry for the wait, and hope this chapter satisfies all you guys waiting in suspense!**

**Enjoy!**

**Ok, last time I said I came up with a plan to get ownership of Tangled with a flame thower, mashed potatoes, and a snuggie. So, uh...here's how it turned out.**

**I entered Disney studios, using the flame thrower to break the security alarms and smearing mashed potatoes all over the camera. I then went in the main corridor, where all the rights documents are stored.**

**Random Dude: HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!**

***Ties random man up in snuggie and shoves mashed potatoes in his mouth***

**Me: HA.**

**So I broke through the glass, grabbed the document to owning Tangled, AAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNDDDDDDD...**

**Got knocked out by some guy with a Pillow Pet.**

**Random Dude Number Two: AS SEEN ON TV! CHECK IT!**

**So...Uh...Needless to say, my plan failed, and I don't own Tangled. Now I really need a Pillow Pet...**

**Oh, and P.S., this chapter song is "No Air", by Chris Brown and Jordin Sparks!**

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><p>Rapunzel held her breath as she ducked behind a wall for about the thousandth time, narrowly evading yet another set of guards that patrolled the castle hallways. She cautiously peered around the edge of the wall, letting out a sigh of relief when the pair of guards disappeared around the corner. Sighing once again as she lay her head back against the wall, she quickly adjusted the hood of her dark cloak and carried on down the hallway, keeping a wary eye out. She was almost to the stables—she couldn't get caught now.<p>

She would stop at nothing to make this work.

Her plan was simple: All she had to do was sneak down to the stables, grab Maximus, and then head out into the kingdom without being detected. From there she would search for Eugene—and _find_ him—no matter what it took.

However, planning this mission was one thing. _Executing_ it was a whole new story.

Rapunzel knew there were guards out in the hallways at night. Of course she did—she'd lived in the castle for over four months. However, she had _never_ thought there would be so _many_! It was a miracle she had been able to sneak around them all so far. Now she just prayed her luck wouldn't run out. Gosh…she really wished she had thought to bring Pascal…or her frying pan…

But she shook her head. She had to stop wasting time thinking. The quicker she got out of there, the quicker she could look for Eugene, and the better chance she had of finding him.

She _had_ to find him.

Taking in a deep breath, she peeked around another corner of the twisting, turning hallways, and her heart soared as she spotted the stairway that led outdoors to the stables. Silently praying that no guards would magically appear from behind her, she wasted no time in rushing to the staircase, and then stepped as quietly as she could down the stairs. Thunder crashed outside from the storm, which was still raging on even this late at night. Rapunzel took it as a bittersweet blessing. The pounding rains overhead and rumbles of thunder would mask her footsteps, but there was also a risk that the louder blasts of thunder could wake up her parents—or worse, Robert. Plus, she would have to go out there, searching in the driving rains for her love.

But that didn't matter. Nothing was going to stop her. Not rain, not lightning, not thunder. Not guards, not her parents, not Robert. _Nothing_. It didn't matter what she had to do. She was going to find Eugene.

Driven by her newfound determination, Rapunzel practically flew down the staircase, stopping at the bottom only to peer outside to check if there were any guards. There were only a couple, but the pair was far off and had their backs turned to her. Pulling the hood even more over her head, she took a deep breath and raced out into the pouring rain, her bare feet splashing in the cold puddles underneath her. Within seconds, she was at the stables, and she flung open the door, her heart pounding at a hundred miles an hour. But she smiled through her panting breaths as she eased the door shut. She had made it this far—maybe this plan might work out after all.

Rapunzel hesitantly made her way through the stables, anxious that one of the horses might neigh in alarm. But the horses did nothing more than give her curious glances…The ones that were awake, that is. In fact, Maximus was dozing lightly, though his eyes flew open and ears perked up as soon as Rapunzel laid a gentle hand on his snout.

"Easy, boy," the princess soothed, stroking the stallion, "easy…"

After a few more quiet whispers from Rapunzel, Maximus's surprised gaze morphed into one of curiosity, and he cocked his head to one side as if to ask, "What's wrong?"

"Maximus, I need your help," Rapunzel explained. "You know that…Eugene's out there, all alone…" Rapunzel sighed and stared at the ground. The mere _thought_ of Eugene out there…alone and vulnerable in this vicious storm…

The white horse nickered sympathetically and rubbed his snout against Rapunzel's shoulder. Rapunzel looked up, appreciatively petting Maximus's flank.

"I have to find him, Max," Rapunzel said, her voice no more than a mere whisper. "It's only been a little more than a day, and I already can't take it anymore. I have to know he's safe…in the castle, with me. I can't go on without him here…And that's why I have to bring him back." The princess let out a sigh. "But I can't do it alone. Can—Can you help me?"

The stallion gazed into the princess's pleading green eyes and nodded vigorously. With a sigh of relief, Rapunzel pulled the lock up off of the stable stall door and motioned for the horse to be quiet as he slowly crept out of the little pen.

"Thank you," Rapunzel smiled, standing on her tiptoes to quickly kiss the side of Maximus's head. The horse's reply was a quiet neigh and reassuring smile.

From there, she wasted no time. The princess snatched Maximus's reins and royal crest off of a nearby hook and arranged them on the horse, and then found his saddle and positioned it on his back. Then, grabbing a box that happened to be nearby, she stationed it next to Maximus and climbed on top, straining to pull herself on top of the horse. Finally, she was able to hoist her leg up over the stallion's saddle, and she pulled herself up on top of Maximus. Even with the reins for support, Rapunzel felt uneasy atop such a tall horse, and she prayed that she wouldn't slip up and end up falling. The last thing she needed was to get hurt—especially when she still had to find Eugene.

Gripping Maximus' reins tightly, she pulled the hood of the cloak back over her head with one hand and ducked her head as Maximus made his way towards the exit of the stables. As soon as they got to the exit, Maximus quietly nudged the door open with his snout, peeking around the edge at the pair of guards a few yards away. Rapunzel leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of them, but the sheets of driving rain made it almost impossible to see. Were they facing her, or did they have their backs turned? Heck, the rain distorted them so much, she could barely even tell they were guards. She would just have to trust her instinct.

Taking in a deep breath, Rapunzel gripped Maximus's reins tightly and closed her eyes tight, images of Eugene flooding her mind.

It didn't matter how scared she was. She had to do this…for him.

"Maximus…_Now!_" as soon as the words came from the princess's lips, the horse bolted from the stables. Ducking down to shield her face from the stinging sheets of rain, she gripped onto the reins so firmly that it hurt, and her eyes squeezed shut even more. The sound of Maximus's hooves pounding beneath her matched the slamming of Rapunzel's heart inside her chest. On they ran…They _could not_ afford to fail.

_Please…please let us not get caught…_ Rapunzel prayed mentally. She could already picture the guards' rough hands on her shoulders, dragging her away…Her being bound in her room under a watchful eye, despite her protests…The love of her life doomed to be alone and abandoned…

…forever.

Rapunzel's eyes flew open in fear, and her gaze snapped behind her. She sighed in relief as she saw no one pursuing her—In fact, she wasn't even on castle grounds anymore. Maximus had gotten past the guards, and was now running through the heart of the kingdom. The princess stared up with a smile as she saw the castle getting smaller and smaller the farther the horse ran from it. The first part of her plan had been accomplished…Now all she had to do was find Eugene.

"It's alright, Max," Rapunzel gently rubbed between the horse's ears, and Maximus slowed to a trot. "Now we have to start looking."

Maximus nodded curtly and immediately lowered his snout to the ground, searching for Eugene's scent. Meanwhile, Rapunzel looked around to see if she could catch sight of the young man, but she could barely see anything through the driving rain. Squinting to try and get a better view, she surveyed the area as Maximus moved along. All she caught sight of was the blurry contours of shops that lined the streets. She didn't see Eugene—In fact, she didn't see anyone at all. No one was out in such ghastly weather as this.

Except for her…And Eugene. He was out there, somewhere. And she was going to find him... She _had_ to.

"Eugene!" she called out, though she could barely hear her own voice over the howling winds. The sudden reply was a blinding flash of lightning and almost an immediate blast of deafening thunder, and the petrified princess shrank down. As courageous as she was trying to be, she had never really been fond of thunderstorms…

But her fear of the storm paled in comparison to her fear of losing her beloved Eugene, and, mustering up all the courage she had, she straightened back up again.

"_Eugene!_" she cried, her eyes desperately scanning the area. Not a soul in sight…Just rain. And lots of it.

"_Eugene!_" Rapunzel screamed out at the top of her lungs, wishing with all her might that Eugene was just around the corner, and he could hear her cries. The only reply was another gust of wind, which nearly blew her off of the stallion and sent hundreds of needle-like raindrops pounding against her and Maximus. The hood of her cape flapped wildly behind her, and Rapunzel tried her best to pull it back on and make it _stay_ that way. Another explosion of thunder made the whole kingdom shake. Rapunzel's heart raced—This was the worst storm she had seen in a long time…And by the looks of things, it was only going to get worse.

"We have to keep going!" Rapunzel shouted to Maximus over the gale. Maximus nodded and began racing forward; though Rapunzel could tell even _he_ was having trouble against the winds. But still, neither the horse nor his rider would give up.

They wouldn't stop until Eugene was _found_.

Another flash of lightning ignited the sky as Maximus turned a street corner and began racing over the cobblestones, sniffing the air intently. Rapunzel looked around, eyes wide, for signs of any human life. She couldn't abandon Eugene now…Not when she knew he was out in a storm like this!

Nothing. Another street cleared. Maximus swerved around another corner.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel called out, raising her head as high as she could in hopes that the sound would carry. The nightmarish storm seemed to be the only thing that surrounded her…The winds, the rain, the thunder, the—

"_Agh!_" Rapunzel let out a scream as another bolt of lightning enveloped the whole area, and she saw the whole street illuminated for one split second. The tailor's shop…An abandoned street vendor's stall…

Eugene.

At first, Rapunzel thought that the rain was playing tricks on her. Her eyes locked on where she had spotted the young man, she squinted through the driving rain, impatiently waiting for the next lightning strike. Within minutes, it came, and once again, Rapunzel caught sight of the figure slumped in some old shop's doorway. It couldn't be…But it was. There was no mistaking it. The drenched brown hair, the soaking wet blue vest, and the white-sleeved arms, wrapped around himself in a futile attempt to keep warm. Rapunzel couldn't believe it. It was him. It was…

"_Eugene!_"

O-O-O-O-O

_"Eugene!"_

The sudden cry jolted Eugene out of his foggy thoughts, and he almost couldn't believe his ears. Was that…Rapunzel?

Eugene gritted his teeth, angry at himself once again. All through that day, he had been giving himself false hope—Torturing himself is more like it—by letting Rapunzel's voice linger in his thoughts. He had fooled himself countless times that day, hearing her call but whirling around to spot nothing, sensing her presence only to have his world come crashing down when she was nowhere to be found…

But still, he let his subconscious fool him once again. Praying that this time wasn't just his imagination, he slowly looked up, peering through the blanket of rain that consumed the whole area. At first, he couldn't make out what he saw; the rain blurred the figure to where it was almost undeterminable. But, squinting even more, he could faintly make out a human atop a tall horse…

Suddenly, the yellow glow of another lightning bolt lit the entire street, and in that split second, Eugene was able to spot a cloaked rider atop the stallion, though he couldn't make out their face—it was too much of a blur.

But the thing that stood out to him most was the thing that made his heart nearly stop beating. That horse bore the royal crest. That was a palace horse. Which meant that rider was a guard.

A guard…after him.

"Oh, gosh, no," Eugene muttered out loud, speedily rising to his feet. He instinctively grabbed at the satchel swung over his shoulder, and his heart began to pound. Someone had figured out he had the crown…And now they had found their so-called "thief"…

He was in trouble.

So Eugene did the only thing he could think of: He ran.

Following his gut instinct, the young man immediately bolted in the opposite direction. His heart hammered against his chest as he heard the horse's hooves beginning their pursuit, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he was finally caught…He had to come up with a plan. Now.

As he ran, many noises surrounded him; His heartbeat pounding in his ears, the crash of thunder as lightning blasted against the earth once again, the wind, howling like a cry of distress or a bellow of fury, and the horse's hooves, thundering against the cobblestones as the creature and its rider closed in closer and closer to their victim. But above all the chaos and the noise around him, one sound—one voice—penetrated through it all.

_"Eugene!"_

_No…_ Eugene thought, quickening his pace. Not here. Not now…He could _not_ be hearing Rapunzel now! Of all the times for her beautiful voice to haunt him…

_Please…_ he pleaded mentally as he ran, memories threatening to consume him. _Please stop…_

But the voice was insistent.

_"Eugene, stop! It's me, Rapunzel!" _the voice sounded more prominent and more realistic than ever before…and that made it all the more heart-wrenching.

_I can't stop…_ Eugene argued with the angelic voice inside his head. _I can't face you again, Blondie…I can't hurt you again…I don't have that strength! Please…I can't take this anymore!_

_"Eugene!"_

The persistent voice made his stomach twist in a painful knot as he ran, and he almost felt himself about to break. It was all too much…The storm, his pursuer, that beautiful, yet torturously lingering voice…

Finally, Eugene spotted an escape. Bounding over a stack of boxes in his path, he entered an alleyway, ducking to the left when he met a fork in the path. Clutching the satchel tightly, he dove behind a set of wooden barrels that happened to be stored in the alley, and shrunk back against the cold stone wall. The rain would mask his scent, and the barrels made the alleyway too narrow for the horse to make it through anyway. If he could just keep quiet, he could keep hidden from the guard and avoid his capture.

Sure enough, Eugene heard the hoof beats of the stallion cease—the guard must have dismounted his horse and gone to search on foot. Eugene held his breath as he held the satchel close. Looks like he was safe…

But not from everything.

Eugene had almost forgotten about the voice haunting his thoughts…That is, until it called out once again, more tearful and pleading than ever.

_"Eugene!"_

"No—" Eugene's voice came out as a choked whisper, and he quickly shoved his hands against his ears, shutting his eyes tight, willing the voice to go away. His mind filled with images of the princess…Begging for him to come back…Why did he desert her?

_"Eugene…Please! Please come back to me! I need you! Eugene!"_

The young man's whole body shook as he held back the sobs, and he pressed his palms against his ears even harder, to the point where it hurt. The painful thoughts only intensified…Those images of her were torturing him…Her voice…killing him…

_I can't do this…_

And there he sat, begging the memories—the voice—to leave him for good and end this pure _anguish _that he just couldn't seem to shake. He barely even noticed when he heard the horse's hooves once again, quieting as the stallion rode farther and farther into the stormy black night, away from him.

He had no clue how he was going to survive like this—how could he go on? It had only been a day, and already, the torment of losing Rapunzel was practically choking him to death. It almost felt as if his sanity was slipping through his fingers…

When the voice finally decided to end his suffering, Eugene slowly removed his hands from his ears, wincing at the pain that had lingered from applying so much pressure. With a sigh, he inched back as far as he could in the cramped space behind the barrels, not wanting to stay but not really wanting to leave, either. Finally, he decided on staying, seeing as the roof of the building above him jutted out a bit over the alleyway, giving him a slight overhang that protected him from the cold rain.

Curling up against the chilly stone wall, Eugene wrapped his arms around himself for warmth, and then slumped to the ground, barely able to keep his droopy eyelids open. Never before had he had a more exhausting day…But he was almost afraid to go to sleep, for fear the voice would invade his dreams as well.

But finally, he succumbed to the drowsiness, letting his eyes close and drifting off into slumber. His last thought was the one that troubled him the most:

_And to think…That was only my first day._

_How on earth am I supposed to live the rest of my life…Like this?_

O-O-O-O-O

Rapunzel just couldn't understand it.

She had been so close…_so_ _close_…And yet, he was gone.

Gone.

It didn't make any sense. Eugene had seen her, hadn't he? So why had he run?

Near tears, Rapunzel had leapt off of Maximus, climbing over the stack of boxes that blocked the narrow path. Running into the alleyway, her heart pounded as she had met a fork in the path. Finding only barrels when she had checked the left side, she quickly ran down the right path, her heart sinking as she had maneuvered through the confusing, twisting labyrinth of an alleyway. Finally, she had found an opening that led back out to the street, and her hopes plummeted. Who knows how far Eugene had gotten by then?

Refusing to give up, Rapunzel had run back to where the alleyway split in two, and desperately looked around, just in case Eugene happened to still be in the alleyway by some miracle.

"Eugene…Please!" Rapunzel cried out, the rain and wind of the storm drowning out her cries. But she wouldn't quit. Cupping her hands over her mouth, her voice raised to almost a shriek. "Please come back to me!" Every second without a reply just sent her even more on the verge of tears, and her cries became more and more distressed. "I need you!_ Eugene!"_

Finally, the sobs overtook her, and she wrapped her arms around her chest, trying to console herself. Not only had she lost him, but Eugene had deliberately _run_ _away_ from her! She just couldn't comprehend it. Didn't he _want_ to see her? Didn't he even…Didn't he even _love_ her anymore?

Rapunzel quickly shoved the thought from her mind. It must have been just a misunderstanding. It _had_ to have been. But still, she couldn't hold back the tears that slipped from her eyes, lingering with the rainwater that flowed down her cheeks. She wished that this was all a bad dream, and she would wake up with Eugene right beside her…But she knew that would never happen. It seemed like she just couldn't escape from the nightmare that was now her _life_…

_Eugene…_

No. She couldn't stop searching—she had told herself countless times that she _wouldn't_ stop, for _anything_. And those were her exact intentions. She was going to find Eugene, and she was going to figure out what was wrong, and why he had run.

But still…Why _had_ he run?

So caught up in her thoughts, the princess didn't even notice the ominous shadow behind her…

…Until the unexpected hand clasped down on her shoulder and she let out an ear-piercing shriek.

* * *

><p><strong>I apologize again for another cliffhanger!<strong>

**Reviews are greatly appreciated! And to prove it, here are my review replies!**

**EugeneandRapunzelFitzherbert: I agree with that. :-) And also, you cried? EEP! Call me evil, but I love to hear that-That means my writing is more emotion provoking than I thought. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**sunnyprincessbird: lol...I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks of Eugene as "baby"...Hahaha! Oh, and here you go, smiley face! *gives cookie***

**fryingpanninja107: Hey, you're right! That Orianthi song fits PERFECT! I've heard it before and love it. And now that you mention it, those lyrics fit so well-Who knows? I might use it for a chapter song later in the story! Thanks! Oh, and thanks for the compliment!**

**doodlegirll: Thanks a bunch! Lol...and I should so do that.**

**Harryfan626: NO! The thunderstorm isn't what scares me...It's Robert I'm worried about!**

**PampleMousse07: *Evil smile* That's all I'm gonna say...**

**TangledGirlForever: Of course! Always happy to read a new Tangled story-I'll be sure to check it out!**

**Hallie: Oh, thank you so much! I feel honored now... :-)**

**kittehkitty2: Hee hee...I think you got my message! ;-)**

**dannybird22: Oh my...I feel sorry for that pillow. Hope this chapter doesn't make you too angry...You'll see what happens in Chapter 12!**

**Liz McCallus: Now, is Wolfeh a real wolf, or a cannibal? EEP! Either way, I don't want to be eaten, so I hope you're happy with this update!**

**Well, that should just about do it! Sorry again for the long wait. I'll try to get the next chapter up as fast as I can! I'm sorry!**

**Thanks for reading, and please review! More soon!**


	12. A Nightmarish Reality

**Rawr.**

**Hey, everyone! Ok, so this is probably the fastest update I'm ever going to have for this story...I was going to wait until later to put this up, but I finished it rather quickly and decided to have mercy on you guys and publish it. ;-)**

**Not the best chapter, I'll admit. Maybe you could call this a...uh...semi-filler...thingy? Sure. Ok. But the next few chapters will be a lot better. And I just came up with a little idea for the story for later chapters, but if I go along with it, it looks like this story _will_ end up being rated T. Again, just for some dark themes and violence-No profanity or anything explicit. I'm still not sure yet. Would you guys still read it? If you could let me know, that'd be great.**

**So here's chapter 12. This chapter song (And I'm going to try and come up with one for every chapter now) is "When You're Gone" by Avril Lavigne.**

**I'm probably not going to be able to update again until Monday (at the earliest) so sit tight, enjoy, and please REVIEW! Reviews actually fuel my writing...The more I get, the faster I'll update! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**OH. MY. GOSH. WE BROKE THE RECORD! AND WE BROKE 200! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU *Hugs you all* Thanks to everyone who's already reviewed! Review replies at the end for you guys! Hehehe...Now let's see if we can hit 250...It's always good to have a goal, right? ;-)**

**(Oh, and by the way, thanks for all the reviews/favorites/hits on "You are my Forever", too. It's nice to know you guys enjoy my work!)**

**GIMME A T!**

**GIMME AN A!**

**GIMME AN N!**

**GIMME A G!**

**GIMME AN L!**

**GIMME AN E!**

**GIMME A D!**

**WHAT DOES THAT SPELL? WHO CARES! I DON'T OWN IT! ;-)**

* * *

><p>Rapunzel whirled around in terror, her shrill scream of fear still echoing in the stormy night. Though she could barely make out the figure that had touched her in the darkness, she still jerked back, her heart pounding at a hundred miles an hour. Her heart pounded even more when a sudden flash of lightning illuminated the area, and she spotted the <em>last<em> person that she had wanted to see…

Robert.

"Princess!" Robert gasped, shocked. "What on earth are you doing out here this late at night? And in such dreadful weather…"

"I had to find—I—I had to—" Suddenly, a flood of tears burst from Rapunzel's big green eyes, and she just couldn't control herself. She felt like a small child in front of Robert…A feeling that she loathed with every fiber of her being, yet she couldn't seem to lose. And here, in the black of night, surrounded by blasts of thunder and a torrential downpour...He looked more threatening than ever.

"Who did this to you?" Robert asked, grabbing the sobbing princess's shoulders and shaking them harshly. "Who—"

"I did it to _myself_, Robert!" Rapunzel yelled, yanking away from the prince's grip. "I chose to come out here on my own." She glared angrily at the prince through her tears. "The question is, what are _you_ doing here?"

"Why, my princess just disappeared from the castle, completely unexpected!" Robert threw up his hands, as if Rapunzel should have known that. "Do you really think—?"

"I am not _your_ princess, Robert," Rapunzel said through gritted teeth, finding newfound courage in herself. "I can take care of myself, and I don't need you following me around, and _trying to control my life!_"

Robert's surprised expression suddenly froze in place, and Rapunzel watched, her stomach churning, as it morphed into one of pure anger. Before she could react, Robert shoved her against the wall of the alleyway, pinning her arms to her sides so she couldn't strike him, no matter how much she struggled. All of the courage that Rapunzel had been able to muster immediately disappeared, and she stared up into his icy blue eyes, desperately trying to break free.

"Now, let's get one thing straight, Princess," Robert growled, staring dead into her eyes. "A princess is _nothing_ without a proper prince. You are a princess, and I am your proper prince. You were betrothed to me, just as I was to you. Now, then, I can be the best thing that's ever happened to you, or the worst. I don't want to have to make your life miserable, princess…But I will, if I have to. That all depends on _you_."

Rapunzel didn't cease her struggling, and she desperately wished she could call out to Eugene. But she didn't want to alert Robert that he was near—who knows what would happen then? And besides, Eugene had run away from her earlier…What makes her think he would come to her aid now?

Even though it went against everything she felt inside, Rapunzel ceased her struggling—It would just be easier that way—and Robert slowly let his arms fall, letting the princess go free with a smile at her obedience.

"Now, then, Princess," he said with a nod, gripping her hand with more force than necessary. "Why don't we get you home? Your parents are worried sick about you!"

For a moment, Rapunzel was about to refuse, and then she realized how pointless it would be. Robert would probably just shove her back into the wall again…Or worse. She was too nervous to find out what his response would be. Besides, for once, the snobby prince was probably right. No doubt her parents were wondering where the heck she was, and why she was out this late in such a ferocious storm. With a sigh, she let him lead her out of the alleyway, where his large black horse was waiting next to Maximus. Even the stallions seemed at war, shooting each other vicious glares.

Rapunzel walked up to Maximus and prepared to mount him, but Robert immediately stopped her and shook his head.

"Come now, Princess," Robert led the reluctant princess away from the agitated white horse. "I'm sure you'll be much more comfortable with me. Besides," he added, "it's very improper for a lady to ride a horse on her own."

_No, _Rapunzel thought, clenching her fists, _what's improper is shoving a lady—not to mention a princess—into a rough brick wall just so you can order her around._

Suddenly, Maximus leaned down and snapped his teeth at Robert, who managed to hop out of the way in the nick of time. However, Maximus _did_ happen to get a mouthful of his cape, and it took everything Rapunzel had to hold in her laughter at the sight of the snobby prince and the irate horse in a heated tug-of-war.

"Let…it…_go!_" Robert demanded, straining to free his cape from the horse's teeth. "You…infernal vermin!"

Apparently, Maximus wasn't very fond of being called "infernal vermin", because he drew back even harder, ripping Robert's cape in half and sending the slack-jawed prince stumbling backwards.

"I think," Rapunzel smiled as Maximus spat out the other half of the hideous cape, "he wants me to go with _him_."

The prince had no reply for that, so Rapunzel quickly heaved herself on top of the horse before Robert could come up with one.

But even though Rapunzel had gotten her way with Maximus, Robert still didn't leave her alone. With an angered glare, Robert straightened the crown on his head and mounted his own horse, and then stayed right on Maximus's tail, herding him like cattle. Rapunzel gently stroked the fuming horse's head; she could tell it was taking everything the poor stallion had not to run off.

Rapunzel sighed. It was taking everything _she _had not to run off as well.

Her plan had failed. Though she had found Eugene, she had lost him once again. And now, to make matters worse, Robert was being more of a jerk than ever. The scratches on the back of her arms from the brick wall just supported that statement.

She decided she would talk to her parents about what Robert did when she got back to the castle…But then she shook her head. She had already told them countless times about Robert's disrespectful acts—and no matter how many times they had gone to debate with the council, those morons never showed any mercy. It was always, _"Eugene would do" _this or _"Eugene would do"_ that. It was as if her parents weren't even King and Queen anymore…

No. She wouldn't tell them. She would just have to manage on her own. If she could stay on Robert's good side, maybe he would calm down. Or, at least not, you know, shove her into a hard brick wall again.

At first, Rapunzel had just been infuriated at Robert. But now, after that stunt he had pulled earlier, she felt scared. Truly, genuinely scared. And she hated it. Just because Robert intimidated her, he could now control everything she did. And Rapunzel was tired of feeling controlled—She had been controlled practically her whole life. She felt like she shouldn't give him that right, but really, what choice did she have? She was going to marry him, no matter how much of an idiot he might be.

And as Rapunzel noticed the towering castle becoming closer and closer, she stole a glance over her shoulder, and her stomach did a flip-flop at the sight of Robert's smug expression. But still, she could see the fire in his eyes, and only one thought flashed through her mind in that moment.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

O-O-O-O-O

"Rapunzel!"

The princess let out a gasp as her parents rushed in and embraced her tightly for the second time in the last few days. She returned the embrace, sensing Robert's icy eyes staring right at her, though her back was turned to him. The mere feeling made her feel like she wanted to throw up.

"Honey, are you alright?" Queen Amelia asked when the hug ended, and she began inspecting her daughter for any injuries. "Good grief, Rapunzel, you're soaking wet!" She lifted up Rapunzel's arm, and then her relieved gaze immediately morphed into one of concern at the sight of the scratches that lined the bare skin there. "Dear, what happened here?"

"Nothing," Rapunzel mumbled, quickly pulling her hand away. She didn't really feel like going into detail about what Robert had done…Especially since her parents could do nothing about it. "I'm fine."

"Rapunzel, you scared us to death," her father spoke up. "What on earth provoked you to run out there in the dead of night? Not to mention in a storm like this!" he gestured toward a castle window, where the rains still hammered relentlessly against the glass.

"I—I'm sorry…"

"That's not an answer."

Rapunzel swallowed and looked up at her parents, who were both staring at her, awaiting an answer. Peering anxiously over her shoulder, she spotted Robert, who, arms crossed, was also waiting for Rapunzel's reply. Rapunzel fell silent as she turned back around, staring at her feet. Finally, she spoke up, her voice no more than a mere whisper.

"Eugene."

And, before the concerned parents or the enraged prince could reply, Rapunzel bolted from the room, seeking refuge that she just couldn't seem to find.

…Not without her true love's arms around her.

O-O-O-O-O

"_And at last, I see the light…_

_And it's like the fog has lifted…"_

The quiet song was the only noise in the pitch black darkness of the room, aside from the occasional rumbles of thunder and the rain, which was _finally_ beginning to die down.

Rapunzel lay, curled on her bed, watching as Pascal gently hugged her finger. She was thankful for the tiny chameleon's attempts to console her, but right now, it seemed like nothing could make her feel better. Her plan had been unsuccessful, Prince Snobbert was at his worst, and, aside from Pascal, she was all alone. Even her parents had no jurisdiction over the miserable path that her life was following. It seemed like no one could stop this madness…No one but Eugene.

But he was gone.

Rapunzel turned over, staring at the ceiling that she could barely make out in the blackness of the night. She was tired—there was no denying that. Who knew how late it was? She was even too tired to look at the clock. But she couldn't sleep. She just couldn't. There was one thought—one question—that just wouldn't allow her to.

_Why had he run?_

Why? That just hadn't made any sense. Why had Eugene run from her? She had called out to him…He had heard her voice, so he had to have known it was her, right? And she thought she had seen him look at her—so he _had_ seen her. And that was no doubt_ Eugene_…Not someone else. Even in the rain, when that lightning had flashed, Rapunzel had been able to make him out perfectly.

So why had he run? He knew that it was her…

Was _that_…why?

The mere thought that Eugene didn't want anything to _do_ with her sent tears springing to her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away. She had told herself countless times through this whole ordeal that she had done _enough_ crying. But she just couldn't help it. He had left her, and now, he didn't even want to _talk _to her.

And he thought _this_ was going to make her happy?

_I can't be happy without him…_ Rapunzel thought, choking back her unwelcome tears. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want to cry anymore…And she couldn't run anymore…And in _no way_ did she just want to go along with things…

But it seemed like she had no choice.

Suddenly, the gonging of the grandfather clock in her room scared her nearly to death, and she listened as the clock struck four. Four in the morning. She _really_ needed to be getting to sleep.

However, as soon as Rapunzel allowed her eyes to shut, they snapped back open again. What if her slumber was plagued with nightmares once again?

With a sigh, her eyes slowly closed once more. It couldn't be much worse than reality—she was already _living_ a nightmare.

Sleep welcomed her, and as soon as she closed her eyes, she felt herself slowly drifting away into slumber. However, before she let herself be swept away, she breathed out the last verse of her song, wishing with all her heart that Eugene's voice would appear out of the blue and softly soothe her into her sleep.

But she knew that would never happen.

"_All at once, everything is different…_

_Now that I see you…"_

O-O-O-O-O

Eugene awoke to the clatter of barrels tumbling every which way, and the screech of a cat as it tried to escape the flurry of wooden barrels.

"_Oy!"_ Eugene quickly stumbled to his feet as he heard the gruff voice of a shopkeeper not far up the alley. "Ya' stupid cat! What in blazes do ya' think yer' doin'?"

The cat's reply was an angry hiss at Eugene, who ducked out of the pile of barrels just in time to avoid the plump, grey-haired shopkeeper, who was wielding a broom.

_Thanks for the wake-up-call,_ Eugene thought, exiting the alleyway without being detected. Phew…That was too close.

For a moment, Eugene had no clue why he had woken up in an alleyway, not to mention behind a pile of barrels. Hadn't he decided he would stay in that doorway the other night? Then it all came back to him.

The storm.

The chase.

Rapunzel's voice.

Eugene groaned as he rubbed groggily at his face. Ugh…What a night. Nothing like a good near-death chase to end the day, huh?

Eugene stretched his aching muscles, memories of the night before flooding his mind. His eyes fell on the satchel slung over his shoulder, and he pulled it close, letting out a sigh.

_Well, you're just a bundle of trouble, aren't you?_ he muttered mentally, flipping it open to double-check on the crown. Pulling back the folded articles of clothing, he spotted the sparkle of the princess's crown, and, uneasily, he shoved it down even more, pulling the clothes back over it to conceal it. Last night's chase had been too close for comfort. Who knows what would happen if one of those guards found this? Pandemonium, that's for sure.

Eugene sighed, closing the satchel and pulling it back over his shoulder, and then blending into the crowd bustling along the kingdom streets. He wasn't really sure where he was headed…His thoughts were too far off for him to focus on anything right then, really.

If he was caught, it wasn't him he was worried about, but Rapunzel. Not only would he have to go back to the castle and explain to her his reasons for leaving, but Robert would turn right back into his snobby self once again, and commence making her life horrible. And what about his punishment? Of course, he was concerned about that, but what about Rapunzel? How would she deal with that?

Gosh…he had no clue.

That's why he _wasn't going to get caught._ He would just have to do everything he could to keep this hidden. And who knows? Maybe he could find some way to get it back to Rapunzel without having to face her…And then his troubles would be over.

Eugene let out a sigh as the truth practically slapped him in the face. No. No, they wouldn't. His troubles would be _far_ from over. Even if he returned the crown to Rapunzel, he still wouldn't be able to deal with being so far away from her…Just like the day before, he was sure that her face would haunt his every thought…and her voice would never leave him be.

His troubles would _never_ be over.

His heart sinking, Eugene stared at his boots as he walked, not caring how dejected he looked to any of the passersby. He couldn't deny it. He needed Rapunzel.

But he couldn't go back.

He couldn't…

So caught up in his thoughts, Eugene was caught completely off guard as something abruptly slammed against him. Not expecting the sudden collision, Eugene stumbled backwards, unable to regain his balance. Tumbling to the ground, Eugene winced in pain as his head hit the cobblestones, and he rose to a sitting position, painfully rubbing it. Who on earth had he run into?

"I'm sorry—" he said quickly, still tenderly rubbing his head. He winced once again, but quickly shook off the pain and looked up, so he could apologize to the person face-to-face.

Suddenly, he froze.

He now realized why the force that had slammed against him had been so rock-solid; the man whom he had crashed into donned an iron breastplate that matched the rest of his eerily familiar armor. Eugene's heart rose into his throat as he noticed the helmet atop the man's head, and the symbol of Corona on front of the man's breastplate. Oh, gosh…This was just what Eugene had been trying to avoid.

This guy was a guard.

Heart pounding, Eugene scooted backwards, preparing himself to run if need be. He looked up into the guard's eyes, to try to see what the man's reaction might be, but to his surprise, the guard wasn't even looking at him. Confused, Eugene followed the man's shocked gaze, and suddenly, he noticed one of his shirts on the ground. Just to the left of that was a pair of his pants, and next to that was the pair of gloves. But wait…wasn't that all in his—

His satchel.

Realization kicking in, Eugene grabbed at his satchel, practically ripping it open.

It was empty. No clothes, no comb, no…

…No crown.

Eugene swallowed, realizing why the guard's attention wasn't on him. He was almost afraid to look, but he forced himself to slowly turn his head and stare at what the guard's eyes were fixated on.

Sure enough, there it was.

He had tried to hide it…Tried to make sure this never happened…

But yet, it was right in front of him.

There, laying upside-down on the cobblestones, was Rapunzel's missing crown.

* * *

><p><strong>DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN!<strong>

**I know. I'm an evil cliff-hanger writing monster.**

**Now, on a happier note, review replies!**

**fryingpanninja107: Thanks! AND THOSE SOUND LIKE SOME AWESOME MARACAS!**

**StarShip Ranger: My method of writing the story is actaully a little bit of both...I'll have some scenes that I'll want to include in the story, and then I'll have a main plot outline once I've picked and chosen what should or shouldn't be in the story. Then, if any other ideas for some intersting scenes come up, I'll see if they fit in with the plot and if they do, I'll find a way to add them. In fact, you'll see one of those scenes in about two chapters...(Just a little foreshadowing there...)**

**TangledGirlForever: Awwww! Thank you! And I love that song...**

**Harryfan626: Well, you were about half right... ;-)**

**RadosianStar: I try-I honestly do-but it's so hard not to end these in cliffies sometimes! Ugh. i just don't want it to end at an awkward spot, or at something that should be in the next chapter. My apologies...Because I've read stories with constant cliffhangers and I know how you feel. I'll try not to make them all like that, but frankly, that's just the way I write. ;-)**

**Silverbellsb: Awww! Thanks SO much! I'm glad I'm one of those special ppl...And your stories do the same for me, cause you _ALSO_ have an excellent gift! Seriously. All you people reading this? Go read her stories. Now. I'm dead serious. Lol!**

**Kittehkitty2: LOL! Ha...I would NEVER trade a frying pan for mashed potatoes! Seriously...That'd be a really bad idea. But thanks so much for the compliment! And I do want to know what happens with your story! IT'S EPIC! Hey, once again. All you people reading this? Yeah. Go read her story. Now. Along with Silverbellsb's. I'm dead serious. Lol!**

**Lexi: I'm sorry for disturbing your peaceful sleep! lol**

**sunnyprincessbird: I'm so going to look up that song now! (And yes...Eugene will ALWAYS be loved)**

**Liz McCallus: I love Taylor Swift, too! Thanks for all the links. And...wait, what? You have a friend named Wolfeh and an ostrich named Marvin, and they're both eager to eat me? O.o lol**

**Wickedsong: Thanks! I did try to make it descriptive without going over the top. Phew...I'm glad you thought it was good!**

**Gleekforever: Thanks a BUNCH! I'm glad you're enjoying it!**

**Wow. That's a LOT of replies. But for that last chapter, I got a lot of reviews! So THANKS EVERYBODY!**

**The next chapter should be better. And if not that one, then the one after that. DEFINITELY the one after that. I've got big plans...And things are going to start picking up soon...**

**The only problem is this is looking like it's going to be much longer than I planned it...Hmmm...Well, as long as that's alright with you guys. I hope so!**

**More soon! Thanks for everything!**


	13. Trial

**Hey, all you guys!**

**So here's Chapter 13 of All That Really Mattered! Now, I have some news for you, and you're probably going to freak out, but just let me explain.**

**Some of you have been asking me how long this story is going to end up being. So the other day, I took aside some time, thought of the whole series of events spanning out throughout this story, and my calculations said that this story was going to end up being...**

**23 Chapters.**

**NOW! DON'T FREAK OUT AND BE LIKE "OH MY GOSH I CAN'T READ ALL THAT WHY CAN'T SHE JUST END IT NOW?" That's just a very rough estimate. What I did was I took the major events of what was going to happen in this story and divided them up on what I thought would be good stopping points on each of them. However, those stopping points I chose may make the chapter too short. I don't expect it do be that long (So don't worry!), but that's probably the maximum. But that would most likely have you guys reading for like 5 hours straight so I'm going to try and make it shorter than that. Just a rough estimate-PLEASE, PUT THE FRYING PAN DOWN! I'm going to try not to make it that long!**

**I am 99% sure that this will be going to T after the next chapter. The next chapter (I've already started writing it) will be very dark, so prepare yourselves. But in the meantime, enjoy this chapter! I hope you like it.**

**Thank you all for all your AMAZING reviews! I never realized how popular this story would become! You all make me feel _so_ good about myself and my writing. Thank you _so_ much!**

**And if you haven't reviewed yet, that would be nice...Just sayin'. ;-)**

**But seriously, thanks to everybody! (Review replies...Need I say more?)**

**Wow. This chapter is so long! Believe it or not, it was LONGER! I actually had to delete and rewrite like, half of it. It still came out much longer than I wanted it to, but I'm happy with it.**

**Also, have you noticed like a good portion of the words in this story are taken up by my A/N's? Gosh, I talk too much...**

**Ugh. It was so hard finding a chapter song for this one but I settled with the song "How Do I Live?" by LeAnn Rimes. Not my first choice, but, hey, it fits!**

**Ok, so here we go! Without further ado (except my disclaimer), Chapter 13!**

**Me: Can I _PLEASE_ own Tangled?**

**Disney: No.**

**Me: Pretty please?**

**Disney: No.**

**Me: I WILL GIVE YOU A KUMQUAT.**

**Disney: OH MY GOSH YES HERE YOU GO! *Takes fruit from my hand and gives me document to Tangled***

**Me: HOLY COW I HAVE IT! YES, YES! *Runs away while maniacally laughing* MUAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!**

**Disney: WAIT JUST A SECOND THIS ISN'T A KUMQUAT! THIS IS A TANGERINE!**

***Throws tangerine at my head and knocks me out***

**Ugh...Well, that didn't work. IS ANYONE WILLING TO LOAN ME A KUMQUAT? ;-)**

* * *

><p>Rapunzel groaned as she shut her wardrobe once again, and then, with a sigh, she lowered herself to her hands and knees and pulled up one of her sheets to peek under her bed. Where the heck was it?<p>

Why couldn't she find her crown?

When Robert had brought it up the other day, she hadn't even wanted to bother looking. But now, even her _mother_ had mentioned something about it, and Rapunzel knew that it was about time that she found it. It _was_ sort of improper for her to be going around without a crown…

But where on earth had she put it?

She had looked _everywhere_; her walk-in closet, all of her drawers, under her nightstand, and she had even pushed back her dresser to see if it had happened to fall behind there. No such luck. It was almost as if it had disappeared off the face of the earth…

Rapunzel sighed in defeat as she finished checking under her bed, and then, she rose to her feet, only to plop right back down again on the mattress. Ugh…She didn't even _want_ to go downstairs. Robert had arranged for one of the professors of the castle to give her _etiquette lessons _today, and the pompous prince was supposed to be "_supervising_". Please…This was just ridiculous.

Rapunzel sighed again as she closed her eyes, wishing more than anything that she could just freeze time and stay up there in her room forever. The worst part about this whole thing? This was _reality,_ and no matter how much she wanted to change things, it was impossible. It was almost as if life was a doomed carriage ride…controlled by stubborn, manic horses that refused to stop, no matter how much the princess pleaded.

Gosh, how she hated it.

_Nothing_ was turning out the way she wanted it to. If only Eugene hadn't left…Maybe then, life would at least be _tolerable_…

"Eugene…" Rapunzel whispered, trying to imagine his strong arms wrapped around her. "I miss you _so_ much…"

She breathed in deep as she lay, eyes closed, taking in the silence. Oh, gosh…How was she going to keep this up? She didn't think she could go on much longer without him…

Suddenly, her eyes flew open as she heard the slam of a door downstairs, and then, nothing but pure clamoring. Confused as to what all the commotion was, she jerked up, listening intently. Sure enough, she could hear voices—tons of them—downstairs, yelling, screaming, and causing an unintelligible ruckus. What on earth…?

Rapunzel immediately rose from her bed, wondering what all the chaos was downstairs. Hesitantly, she walked to the door, and then she pulled it open, surprised at how loud it had become. Stomach churning, she quickened her pace, beginning her descent down the spiral staircase that led to the bottom floor. As she ran down, she peered over the railing, and was surprised to spot, not only her parents, but a _huge_ cluster of armored guards, shoving some man to his knees. But wait…That man…Was that…?

It was.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel squealed, her eyes widening as soon as she caught sight of the young man amongst the guards. Overjoyed at the sight of him, she nearly fell down the stairs as she raced to the bottom floor. Once downstairs, she bolted towards him faster than she had ever run before, her heart soaring. He was finally home!

Before anyone could react, Rapunzel threw her arms around him and planted a passionate kiss on his lips, cradling his face in her hands as she broke away.

"Eugene, I'm so happy to see you—"

"Blondie, please," Rapunzel was caught off-guard by Eugene's out-of-breath, pleading tone. "You know I didn't do it, please, tell them it was a mistak—_Agh!_" Rapunzel gasped as Eugene was cut off by one of the guards, who yanked the young man backwards by his hair.

"Save it, Rider," the armored man snarled into Eugene's ear. "And don't think you'll be able to manipulate the princess so easily…"

"Manipulate?" Rapunzel repeated. She stepped back, completely dumbfounded. "Wha—What? What are you—Why are you being so rough with him? You can let him go now! It's alright!"

"I'm afraid not, princess," another one of the guards shook his head, much to Rapunzel's surprise.

Suddenly, Rapunzel felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and saw both of her parents standing behind her, a suspicious look on both of their faces.

"And might I ask why not?" Queen Amelia questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Rapunzel watched, eyes wide, as the Captain of the Guard himself emerged from the horde of guards, striding forward smugly with both hands behind his back.

"Maybe this," he said as he brought one of his hands forward, "will answer your question."

Rapunzel gasped as she spotted what the Captain was holding in his hand.

It was none other than her crown.

At first, Rapunzel was stunned, and felt utterly betrayed as she took the crown in disbelief and then stared at Eugene. How on earth could he have _stolen _from her? She thought he had changed…But wait. No. He couldn't have stolen that crown. That was impossible. She knew him too well; he would _never_ pull a stunt like that. But how…?

Oh! Rapunzel sighed in relief as memories filled her mind. Of course! That day in the courtyard…They had been messing with the crown, and it had ended up in his satchel. He just must have forgotten to take it out before he left. Phew, that was a close one! A smile spread across Rapunzel's face as she realized she could easily clear up this misunderstanding, and Eugene would be set free. And then…Then they could finally be together again!

"Oh, this is all just a big mix-up," Rapunzel shook her head with a smile, placing the crown on her head. "Eugene never stole the crown! We were out in the courtyard one day, and we were just goofing around. Eugene had the crown when we went inside, and I guess he forgot to take it out of his satchel before he left—"

"Or so you _think_," the Captain interrupted her, shooting an icy glare at Eugene.

Rapunzel's smile disappeared. "What do you mean? I'm telling the truth!"

"Oh, we don't doubt you, princess," the Captain shook his head, though Rapunzel could tell from the look in the man's eyes that his statement wasn't _completely _true. "What we _do_ doubt is that this whole crown ordeal is _really_ a mix-up."

"Please explain, Captain," Queen Amelia requested as Rapunzel's mouth fell open. What on earth was the Captain talking about?

"Well, we all know how notorious Rider is as a thief—" the Captain began.

"Eugene," Rapunzel corrected him angrily. "His name is _Eugene._"

"Very well then. _Eugene,_" the Captain practically spat the name in Eugene's face, "was a very experienced thief…I can pretty much guarantee that this whole crown 'misunderstanding' was nothing more than a well-thought out plan to once again rob the precious princess of her most prized possession—And also a way to take advantage of the princess herself."

"That's ridiculous!" Rapunzel screeched, her voice so loud that her father had to lay a hand on her shoulder and gently hush her. But she wouldn't hush…This was preposterous! "He would never do that!"

"I wouldn't be too sure, princess…" the Captain smirked in a way that churned Rapunzel's stomach.

Suddenly, Eugene spoke up, speaking as quickly as he could in case he was cut off once again. "Rapunzel, please, believe me, you know I would never—"

"_Shut up_," the Captain commanded sternly, gripping a handful of Eugene's hair and shoving his head down viciously. Rapunzel let out a gasp and dove forward to grab Eugene, but her mother stepped in front of her, calmly stopping her.

"Release him at _once_," the Queen ordered firmly, "by order of your Queen."

All of the guards restraining Eugene looked up at Queen Amelia, and then, after a moment of hesitation, reluctantly released their prisoner. As soon as Eugene was freed, Rapunzel propelled himself into his arms, her heart soaring to new heights as he tightly returned her embrace. This is what she had been waiting for…

"I'm so sorry, Blondie," he whispered into her ear, kissing her tenderly on the forehead.

Rapunzel's eyes filled with love as she gazed up at him, so thankful to be back in his arms again.

"It's ok," she responded, hugging him even tighter. "I'm just so glad you're back…"

Rapunzel could hear her mother addressing the Captain and his men, and she was _so_ grateful to her mother for standing up for Eugene like this.

"All of this is _not_ needed. This man is innocent until proven guilty, and I expect you to treat him as you would any _other_ innocent man."

"_Until proven guilty,_" the Captain enunciated the phrase, "which may be sooner than we think."

Rapunzel broke from her embrace, fear slicing through her relief and gripping her once again.

"Wha—What do you mean?"

"This man's trial is scheduled to begin immediately," Rapunzel automatically gripped Eugene apprehensively at the Captain's words, as if he was going to be stolen from her in that second. "If you wouldn't mind, both of you are needed in the throne room, Your Majesties. The council is waiting for you."

"Trial?" Rapunzel whispered, the mere word sending shivers down her spine. She gazed fearfully up at Eugene, whose eyes were locked on the Captain. However, when he noticed the princess was staring at him, he looked down and gave her a comforting smile.

"It'll be alright," he said reassuringly. "For once, I really _am_ innocent. As long as these council numbskulls know how to separate truth and lies, I should be ok."

That was what Rapunzel was worried about.

Queen Amelia looked unsure, but King Edward laid an encouraging hand on his wife's shoulder. The queen looked up at her husband with a silent nod, and King Edward's gaze fell back on the Captain.

"Very well," he said with a nod. "But no more of this roughness with the young man. Let him walk in like a normal human being."

The king's statement obviously displeased the Captain, but he responded with a bow, his angry eyes locked on Eugene.

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

"I'm coming too," Rapunzel spoke up, causing all eyes to snap to her. With a sigh, Queen Amelia walked over to her daughter's side and gently shook her head.

"No, Rapunzel, I'm sorry, but this is something you have to let us handle."

"But—"

"Honey, these men have already heard your side of the case," the Queen lay a comforting hand on the distraught princess's shoulder. "And I'll be sure to relay it for the council for you. But this is something we need to take care of. I promise, both your father and I will do everything in our power to make this all right." She backed up her promise with a reassuring smile. "We believe you, honey. You're a very trustworthy person. And you know how much we love Eugene. We're going to do all that we can to fix this. I promise."

Rapunzel smiled, beginning to feel a little bit better. Her mother was almost as dependable as _she_ was when it came to promises. The princess swallowed, gazing into her mother's caring eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered.

With a sigh, she turned to Eugene, whose eyes were full of both love and consolation, but they also had a hint of—and Rapunzel's heart sank when she saw it—fear. There were no guarantees everything was going to turn out ok…

So Rapunzel hugged Eugene like she had never hugged him before.

Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed her ear against his chest to take in his heartbeat. Then, staring up lovingly up at him, she closed her eyes as he leaned in for a kiss, and her lips met his. Cherishing every second…Taking it all in…Savoring this beautiful kiss that she thought she'd never experience again…

Suddenly, the Captain cleared his throat, and Rapunzel and Eugene's passionate moment was cut short as the kiss abruptly ended. With worried, anxious eyes, Rapunzel watched as Eugene gave her one last reassuring smile, and then he sighed as the Captain came and crossly ushered him away, the group of guards following close behind them. Behind _them_, Rapunzel's parents followed, and the princess watched in silence as the huge group disappeared through the doors that led towards the throne room.

The heavy doors slammed, and Rapunzel was alone.

With a sigh, Rapunzel turned and began walking up towards the spiral staircase that led up to her room. She just had to be patient—what else could she do? She wished with all her heart that she could just barge into that throne room and do something, but this was probably the one time when it would be better if she _didn't _take action. Plus, she trusted her parents. They would try their best. She knew that. But, this was the _council_ that they were talking about. Those people hated Eugene! _They _were the ones who had refused to abolish that stupid marriage law in the first place, and _they_ were the reason that Rapunzel and Eugene were being ripped apart. It was just like this whole Robert situation…

What if their best wasn't good enough?

She hung her head and sighed as she ascended the staircase. So many things to worry about…

Suddenly, she sensed movement in the corner of her eye.

Whirling around and looking down on the bottom floor, her eyes widened as she spotted none other than Robert, just peeking out from the bottom of the staircase. The prince glared at her wrathfully, the fire evident in his eyes. Letting out a gasp, Rapunzel quickly shut her eyes, hoping it was all just in her head. She quickly reopened her eyes, and she was relieved to see he was no longer there. However, unease still gnawed away at her, and Rapunzel bolted up the staircase, half-expecting Robert to jump out from somewhere and grab her.

She fled to her room and slammed the door, trying to catch her breath as she locked the door and leaned against it. Oh, gosh…She wished with all her heart that that had just been her imagination…

But deep down inside, she seriously doubted that had been the case.

O-O-O-O-O

"Hang him."

"Absolutely not!" King Edward bellowed, slamming his fist down on the small table next to his throne. Queen Amelia leaned across from her own throne and gently laid a hand on her husband's other clenched fist, looking up at the various council members that were seated in a booth to the left of them. Hang him? Was that their solution to everything? She was so glad Eugene wasn't here to hear this; instead, he was out in the hall awaiting his judgment. Poor man…He had stated his case so well, and yet, the council still refused to let go of their grudge against him. She felt so sorry for him…

"Now, let's not jump to conclusions," she said, narrowing her eyes at the stubborn group of council members. "Have you forgotten that this is the man who returned my daughter? _Your_ lost princess?"

"Only to steal her crown once again," a plump, bald council member with tiny round glasses pointed out. Queen Amelia glared into his beady little eyes.

"He didn't _steal _it!" Queen Amelia repeated for about the millionth time. This was getting ridiculous. Why couldn't they get it through their thick heads? "It was simply a misunderstanding. You heard what he had to say!"

"Doesn't mean it's true," the bald, beady-eyed man replied, wiping his glasses on his golden-laced white sash. As if he had said something that would change mankind itself, all of the council members nodded vigorously in unison. Queen Amelia sighed, wishing that she could just rip all of their royal sashes off. If they were going to be this biased, then they didn't _deserve_ to be council members! She wished she could fire them all…But of course she couldn't. That was also a law the council refused to abolish. To avoid prejudice from the monarchy, a rule had been made that they couldn't fire all the council members at once. She had to fire them one at a time, waiting over a long period of time to move onto the next. Heck, by the time she and Edward had fired only a few, Rapunzel would already be married to Robert. Was there no end to the binds of all these rules?

"Now, stop right there," she commanded. "Did you not see that man? Did you not see how truly, genuinely sincere he was? You've attended enough trials to see whether a criminal is lying or not! And from what I've seen, Mr. Fitzherbert is telling the truth. This whole crown mishap is nothing more than a _mistake_."

A tall, skinny man with a curved nose stood up to speak. "Rider has a lengthy list of past thefts—"

"_Mr. Fitzherbert,"_ Queen Amelia corrected through gritted teeth. She didn't like where this was going.

"Fine then," the pointy-nosed man said disdainfully, "_Mr. Fitzherbert_ has a lengthy list of past thefts, and along with those, I'm sure, were lies. Don't you think by now he's experienced enough to know how to mask his falsehoods?"

"My daughter says otherwise," King Edward was the one who spoke up now.

The council just wouldn't quit. Immediately, a young woman with a braided updo rose to her feet.

"But—"

"Enough!" Queen Amelia rose to her feet, finally at her limit. "If you hang Mr. Fitzherbert, prepare to lose your princess as well! Do you not have enough sense to see what this will do to her? I do _not_ want to lose my daughter again!"

The entire council froze, and the few standing slowly sat back down, a defeated look on their faces. Queen Amelia let out a sigh of relief as she, too, sank down to her seat. She knew what the council was thinking: As much as they hated Eugene, killing him would only create the risk of losing the princess as well…And they weren't really willing to take that risk.

Finally, one of the council members—a man with long, curly brown hair and a mustache to match—cleared his throat and spoke up.

"Fine then. Life in prison."

"Never," King Edward said immediately.

The pointy-nosed man shook the notepad he had been holding. "Well, then, what are we supposed to do?"

"How about giving him a more fitting punishment, if you _must_ give him one at all?" Queen Amelia yelled.

"The only fitting punishment I see here is death!" another member cried out.

King Edward slammed his hands down on the armrests of his throne. "I _thought_ we said—"

"No, we can't do that," another council member stood up. "Maybe we should—"

Beady-eyes rose to his feet as well. "I say the only option is—"

Another outcry. "Well, we can't just—"

Pretty soon, the whole room was filled with the mingled inputs of every council member, each yelling over what should be done to this accused criminal. Suddenly, the mustached man rose to his feet and held up his hands for silence.

"_Enough!_" he commanded. Immediately, the group of people fell silent, and they all sank back into their seats except for the mustached man. "Thank you." He let out a sigh and turned to face the king and queen. "Now then. It seems we can't come to a settlement…Perhaps it would be better to just postpone the sentence until we can come to a full agreement."

Queen Amelia raised an eyebrow, "And in the meantime?"

"Mr. Fitzherbert will remain in prison," the curly-haired man answered. "But only until the council comes to a decision."

King Edward opened his mouth to say something, but his wife quickly laid a hand upon his. That was better than, say, a sentence of death or life in prison. They should be thankful that they were able to get the council to budge on _that_. She didn't want to push it, for fear they'd change their minds and resort back to hanging Eugene.

"Agreed," Queen Amelia said quietly.

The curly-haired man turned to the council. "All in favor?" Immediately, nearly all of the hands shot up, and a series of "Aye"s rippled throughout the booth. With a nod, the man turned and faced the king and queen.

"The council has decided to postpone the ruling until further notice."

Queen Amelia sighed in relief. Maybe on a later date, they'd be more persuadable.

King Edward let out a sigh, though it was a very different, more defeated one. "Very well," he turned to one of the men guarding the door. "Please go get Mr. Fitzherbert."

The guard stepped out the door, and Queen Amelia noticed her husband's disheartenment. Confused, she lowered her voice and asked him what was wrong.

"You do realize what's happened, right?" King Edward asked.

Unease seeping through her relief, the queen shook her head.

King Edward sighed. "Basically, Eugene _has_ just been sentenced to life in prison."

Queen Amelia's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "No, they said until they came up with a decision!"

"Don't you see, Amelia?" the King asked, gazing solemnly into her eyes. "They're…never going to come to a decision."

Suddenly, the doors burst open and Eugene was led in, just as realization hit. Queen Amelia's eyes widened in shock. No…

And she couldn't change the ruling now…She had agreed to it.

Oh, gosh.

_What had she done?_

* * *

><p><strong>I hope the ending wasn't too confusing...<strong>

**Like I said, next chapter is going to be pretty intense, I think, so brace yourselves!**

**Review Replies! **

**RadosianStar: I'm really, really sorry. I'm starting to debate whether or not I should have put that in the summary, since they are coming in much later in the story (Not at the very end-They need enough time to play a significant role, but later) I'm really sorry to keep you waiting. I knew they were coming in a later part of the story but I didn't imagine the story being this lengthy. Again, I apologize and I'm sorry if it's irritating. Don't expect them anytime especially soon, but trust me, they are coming.**

**Harryfan626: I couldn't have said it better myself.**

**EdwardBellaAndSasuSaku4Eva: That comment about the crown complimenting his eyes made me laugh so hard! I could so imagine him saying that...LOL!**

**Liz McCallus: Sorry if that end bit was confusing. I remembered how during the kingdom scene in the movie the guards just patrolled the streets to check on things. Eugene wasn't paying attention, so he ended up crashing into one as he walked the streets. And who knows? Maybe the guard wasn't paying attention either. I bet he was looking at a pretty birdie...BAD GUARD! :-)**

**ShineStar123: Awwww! Thank you! And even though it's only one review, I really appreciate it. Thanks for reading!**

**GeorgiaState: No, I think you saw here, I'm going in a bit of a different direction, don't worry. ;-) As for what's going on with the old foe business, you might want to read RadosianStar's review reply. That might answer your question.**

**TangledGirlForever: HAHAHAHA! That caught me off guard a bit! Oh, yes, because Eugene would just magically aquire an accent all of a sudden. lol...But seriously, that's funny. And I don't mind the extra work. As you saw at the beginning, looks like you're getting your wish a bit...It's going to have a lot more!**

**TinySlippers: Thanks for the suggestions! Gah...It's so hard to find chapter songs.**

**SunnyPrincessBird: You know, originally I was going to take that route and make Rapunzel angry at Eugene, but I just didn't want to do that. I think she would believe him and see that it truly was a mistake. So...Yeah. And you're right about Eugene not having a good time...Ugh. I FEEL LIKE A BAD PERSON! You...You'll see why. ;-)**

**dannybird22: Thank you very much! At first, I was just going to make Robert a nuisance, and then, I realized, well, he has no respect-I don't think he would have a problem with doing something like that...So, *Evil laugh* yes. I agree. DEATH TO ROBERT!**

**kittehkitty2: Master of the Cliffhangers says thank you! I hope complex doesn't translate to confusing. Or chaotic. Or all around way more drawn out than it needs to be. But anyway, thanks for all your awesome reviews, and UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE! RAWR! lol...**

**WickedSong: I so agree with you. I like those movies... :-) But anyway, thank you so much for all your detailed and extremely helpful reviews! I appreciate all your compliments, critiques, and tips. Thanks so much!**

**fryingpanninja107: *Throws doughnut down cliff* GO ROBERT, GO! Lol.**

**An Unknown Foreign Beauty: Oh, NO! Don't fail your exams because of me! I'll never forgive myself...Seriously! Study! Don't make me have to stop updating...lol. If you haven't seen yet, I read and reviewed the rest of your story! And awwwww...You make me feel so special! Thanks! Fly out of this galaxy! FLY!**

**Silverbellsb: Well, you got your long update! :-)**

**dreaminsapphire: Awwwww! Thank you so much! I'm so happy to hear that you read not only this, but "What Must Be Done", too! And I'm glad you like it. Thanks so much for the great compliments and tips! And you're right...I bet words like jerk and moron weren't around like then...but I can't really think of anything else. *Shrugs* Oh, well. Thanks for the tip anyway-I'll try! Thanks for your fabulous review! (Oh, and I'll be sure and try to fit the smolder in there somewhere...Now I just _have_ to!)**

**Oh. My. Gosh. That was the longest section of review replies ever! (Lol...you better not have just scrolled over all those!)**

**Next chapter's coming soon...Eep...**

**I think you'll want to stay tuned.**

**Thanks for reading! (And reviewing...Which you are doing right now, am I correct? ;-) )**


	14. What You Deserve

**Wow.**

**That's all I can say: Wow.**

**In the words of the great Rapunzel (hehehe): "I can't believe I did this."**

**Seriously...I feel so horrible! But I warned you guys...This is a dark chapter. My inspiration came from 101Witch101's "I Want to See you Break". Excellent one-shot-Truly amazing. After you're finished here, go look it up. But you might not want to read it until you finish with this, because it has spoilers for this chapter...But be sure to read it. It's incredible.**

**Gah.**

**I have nothing to say except read, please. And please don't hate me for this! Writing this chapter was SOOOOO hard! Heh...And some of you writers on here may understand what I mean by this. When one is writing, of course, they have to take the place of their characters, and I got _so_ into this, I stopped typing to take a breath, and my _hands were shaking_. It was so freaky. That's how intense it was, writing this. I hope you get that same vibe...But please don't come after me with frying pans!**

**I'm putting up a new poll concerning future stories...It should be up by the time you finish reading this! If you can, vote please! Thanks.**

**Also, I have a _very important question_ for you guys at the end, so once you're finished, please be sure to read my A/N after the review replies! Thanks a bunch!**

**Oh, yeah, and one more thing. I might have one more chapter up before then (not sure yet), but all next week, I will not be able to update. Sorry. I will try to write one up as soon as I get access to a laptop once again, but I can tell you for sure that you won't see any new material at all next week. Sorry! :-(**

**Ok, so read, don't kill me, and don't forget to check out the question at the very end of all this! Thank you so much!**

**No chapter song here...I couldn't quite think of a song that could relate to what was happening in this chapter. You'll probably see why...**

**So, without further ado, onto Chapter 14!**

**THANKS TO KITTEHKITTY2 FOR THAT KUMQUAT! GAH! I'M SO HAPPY! NOW I CAN FINALLY GO TO DISNEY AND GET THE RIGHTS TO TANGLED ONCE AND FOR-**

***Sheep1215 gets so excited she accidently drops kumquat on the floor and it splatters into a million kumquaty pieces***

**OH, COME ON!**

**Guess I still don't own Tangled...**

* * *

><p>Robert couldn't believe he was here.<p>

Honestly! Any other man of his prestige and extravagance wouldn't even _think_ of setting foot in a place as disgusting as this! But yet, here he was, striding, head held high, through the dungeons of the castle. And there was a reason why he was here—the only reason worth stepping foot in this horrid, filthy dump of a prison.

He was going to make sure Flynn Rider got exactly what he deserved.

Robert smirked as the bag of coins jingled in his pocket, echoing throughout the huge, dark cells of the dungeons. However, his smirk disappeared as one of those wretched prisoners reached their hand out through the bars and attempted to grab at the prince. Sickened, he quickly leapt back, cursing down at the hand, which slunk back into the darkness. To think that one of these vile pieces of scum would even dare to _look_ at him, let alone _touch_ him…Ugh. But he breathed out as he continued down the hallway. This would all be worth his while.

He pulled the bag of coins from his pocket and clutched them tightly, the smirk reappearing on his face. Oh, yes…This would _definitely_ be worth his while.

Looking up, he gasped as he spotted whom he had been seeking in the first place: the Captain of the Guard. The mustached man was just exiting a prisoner's cell, an angry look on his face as he slammed the bars shut.

"Filthy little—" he muttered, and then he caught sight of Robert and his eyes narrowed. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Is that any way to talk to a prince?" Robert crossed his arms.

The Captain looked at Robert as if he was a five-year old who had just ordered him to be his slave. "You still didn't answer my question."

"By my knowledge, Rider is being contained here," Robert smirked. "Is that correct?"

"Guess word's gotten around," the Captain said with a nonchalant shrug. "But yes. You passed him on your way in. Not my ideal choice of punishment…Personally, I would have much rather preferred to see him sent to the gallows."

Robert grinned. This was going to be easier than he thought.

"Oh, believe me, as did I," the prince agreed, his grin growing wider by the second.

The Captain looked up from the shield he had been inspecting. "Really, now? And what is it that _you_ have against him?"

"Besides the fact that he's a dirty, worthless thief who can only be classified as the scourge of this earth?" Robert shrugged. "Plenty. That piece of rubbish thinks he can just swipe my future bride right out from under my nose! Please. He's got another thing coming."

"Another thing coming, hmm?" the Captain repeated, only half-listening. He went back to tending to the dusty shield. "And what do you mean by that?"

"I was hoping _you_ could tell _me_, Captain."

Once again, the Captain looked up from the shield. "Excuse me?"

"You know as well as I do that being merely a prisoner is nowhere _near _punishment enough for a criminal such as Rider," Robert pointed out, his voice as smooth as silk yet chilling enough to send shivers down one's spine.

"Of course it isn't," the Captain shrugged. "But that was the council's decision. As much as I'd _love _to see Rider _dead_," he stared out of a nearby window at where the gallows were located, as if he could picture the young man hanging from the noose as he spoke, "I'm afraid that's out of my control."

"True," Robert chuckled, "but that doesn't mean you can't make him _wish_ he was dead."

The Captain's eyes snapped onto the prince. "What are you fishing at, boy?"

An evil gleam in his eye, Robert took the bag of coins and held it up so the Captain could see it.

"Merely an exchange," Robert answered, shaking the bag so the Captain could hear all that he was willing to pay for this "exchange".

For a split second, the Captain seemed interested in the bag of coins, but then he shook his head and narrowed his eyes at the prince.

"An honorable Captain of the Guard does _not_ take bribes," the Captain said sternly.

"Oh, it's not a bribe," Robert chuckled, tossing the bag at the Captain's feet. "It's only a bribe if someone's paying you to do something you originally wouldn't do on your own. And believe me, my good sir…You would take quite an interest in doing this without any persuasion from me. I'm just…making it worth your while."

The Captain took this into consideration, and then, with a slight smirk on his face, he leaned down and picked up the bag, clutching it tightly. Robert's scheming little mind was celebrating. This was coming together smashingly.

"What did you have in mind?"

Robert's revenge-hungry eyes locked right on the Captain's. He could imagine it now…Rider's screams of pain, echoing through the prisons, a torturous existence like no other…He couldn't kill his competition…But he could sure come close. Robert's grin spread across his face once again, and he relayed his command.

"Make. Him. _Suffer_."

O-O-O-O-O

"They said _what_?"

"Honey, I know it's a lot to take in," Rapunzel's mother tried to calm her daughter, who was pacing furiously around the room. "And your father and I tried our best—We really did!"

"Mother, you're the _queen!"_ Rapunzel shrieked. "Can't you do something about this? How on earth could you have allowed Eugene to get _life in prison_?"

Queen Amelia sighed, looking down at the bed she was seated upon. She had come up to Rapunzel's room to break the news to her daughter, and of course, she had expected a reaction similar to this. But frankly, she didn't know what to say. The princess was outraged. And she had every right to be. Her true love was in prison for a crime he didn't even commit, for crying out loud!

"It was completely unintentional, Rapunzel," Queen Amelia tried to explain. "We were barely able to stop them from _hanging_ Eugene, let alone—"

"What's wrong with them?" Rapunzel cried out. "_Hang him_? Why can't they get it through their thick heads that Eugene's changed? They're ruining my life! They're ruining _everything!_"

Queen Amelia sighed and stared at the floor, tears coming to her eyes. "I know, honey…I know. I'm so sorry…"

Rapunzel, suddenly noticing her mother's tears, immediately stopped pacing and rushed to the queen's side, a wave of guilt washing over her. "Oh, Mother, don't cry…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you, I—I just—I…" With a sigh of defeat, she slumped down on the bed next to her mother, putting her head in her hands. "I just don't know what to do…I feel so powerless…"

Queen Amelia wrapped her arms around the princess with a sigh. "You and I both, Rapunzel," she whispered, gazing off at nothing as she stroked her daughter's hair. "You and I both…"

For a moment, the mother and daughter just sat in silence, trying to deal with all that had just occurred. Such a happy moment had been transformed into something dreadful…As soon as Eugene had returned, he had instantly been ripped away from Rapunzel once again. They both began to think that the council members were all heartless people—For no one with even half a heart would be able to tear apart a love so beautiful…

Rapunzel leaned against her mother with a sigh. "Are you _sure_ that's what the council is going to do?"

"I'm pretty sure," her mother answered solemnly. "Your father thinks so, too. Gosh, sometimes I just—" she cut herself off before she ended up saying something inappropriate in front of her daughter. "I just…I don't know. I feel so sorry for Eugene…"

Rapunzel gazed up into her mother's eyes, which were glassy with tears. "C—Can I see him?" she asked quietly.

As much as she hated to, Queen Amelia shook her head. "Not right now, sweetheart. Wait until everything's died down. I know how much you want to see him, but I don't want you to go down there and get sent away, or catch them at a bad time. Tonight, I'll take you down there, and then I'll make sure they know you're allowed to visit him whenever you want, ok?"

Rapunzel sighed. As much as she hated waiting another _second_ to see her beloved, at least she could see him tonight…At least she could hold him in her arms, and tell him how much she loved him…He really needed to know that in a time like this.

Suddenly, Rapunzel's door flew open, and one of the servants entered the room.

"Sorry to interrupt, Your Highnesses," he said with a bow. "But, my Queen, you are needed in the East Hall, if you don't mind."

The queen turned and looked at Rapunzel, who quickly nodded. "It's ok. I'll be alright. Go ahead."

"Are you sure?"

Deep down, Rapunzel didn't _really_ want her mother to leave, but she had to face facts; her mother was _queen_, and she still had regular issues to attend to. Reluctantly, Rapunzel nodded once again. "It's fine."

After a moment of hesitation, Queen Amelia rose to her feet, walking over to join the servant at the door. She tried her best to give her daughter a small, reassuring smile.

"Call me if you need anything," she said quietly, before exiting the room with the servant and gently shutting the door.

With a sigh, Rapunzel fell backwards and lay down on her bed, her hand rising to the golden heart-shaped locket that still adorned her neck. She clutched it tightly, feeling her own heart beat under her fist. She was surprised it was still beating correctly…considering how broken it was.

"The only thing I need…" she whispered out loud, "…is my Eugene."

O-O-O-O-O

These prison walls were getting _way_ too familiar.

Eugene sighed, slumping against the cold stone wall of his dark prison cell. The first time he had been arrested, back when he had _really_ stolen the crown, he had been surprised to end up in prison. Now he was _extremely_ surprised—He hadn't even _done_ anything! This council mess was getting _way_ too ridiculous.

Now, more than ever, he wished that he had checked that satchel before he had left. No, he wished that he hadn't left at _all_. Now that he thought about it, that might have been a stupid decision…But Rapunzel had been his top concern! Even now, he still felt her happiness had been most important. But ever since he had returned to the castle, he hadn't caught a glimpse of Robert. While, on usual terms, that would have made his day, now was the one time where he actually _wanted_ to see the snobby prince. Had he really changed since Eugene had left? Well, it didn't matter now. Eugene was back, and it didn't look like he was going anywhere anytime soon. With his luck, Robert was going to become Lord of the Losers once again within a couple of hours.

"Oh, Rapunzel," Eugene sighed, shutting his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall. He didn't even know _what_ he was doing anymore. All he knew was that every decision he had made since this whole Robert mess had just ended in disaster. If this was supposed to be making Rapunzel happy, then he wasn't doing a very good job…

Now all he wanted to do was apologize.

Ugh. The feeling of regret. Eugene couldn't think of anything worse at the moment. He hated that feeling…The way one feels when they want to change things in the past so bad, but it's already happened, so it can't be undone. And they know it can't be undone, but it just gets under their skin and doesn't let them forget…

Oh, how he wished he could just undo it all…

Suddenly, the clang of his jail cell bars sliding open jolted him out of his thoughts, and his eyes flew open, hoping with all his heart that it was Rapunzel. But instead of the princess, the person entering his cell was none other than the Captain of the Guard himself, followed by two other soldiers. Now, Eugene couldn't stand the sight of guards, _period_, especially the Captain. But now he felt particularly uneasy—The smirk on the Captain's face sent shivers down his spine.

"Hello, Rider," the Captain greeted stonily, the smirk unyielding. "Long time, no see."

"Captain," Eugene said simply, rising to his feet. He gritted his teeth as the Captain addressed him as "Rider" once again. It only reminded him even more that no one seemed to be able to let go of his past…

"You got lucky, Rider," the Captain said chillingly, though Eugene barely heard what he said; he was too busy focusing on the two other guards, who had slid the bars shut and were now locking them. "If I were the council, I would have chosen to hang you immediately."

_Thank goodness you're not on the council, then, _Eugene thought, his gaze snapping back to the Captain. His stomach began to churn with every second that grin remained on the Captain's face. What on earth was going on?

Suddenly, Eugene noticed something gripped in the Captain's hand, but before he could make out what it was, the Captain noticed Eugene's gaze on it and quickly hid it behind his back, making Eugene all the more anxious. He felt like backing away, but the only thing behind him was wall. Something wasn't right here…

"Shirt off, Rider," the Captain commanded.

The man's order caught Eugene off-guard. "What?"

"_Shirt off_, Rider," the Captain repeated, enunciating each word. The grin disappeared from his face and was replaced with a livid glare. "That's an _order_."

Eugene wasn't one to follow orders, but what choice did he have? Refusing to show any anxiety, Eugene didn't take his angry gaze off of the Captain and his men as he unbuckled his vest and tossed it to the ground, and then pulled his—now dirt-stained—white shirt over his head, tossing it on top of the vest.

"There," Eugene said icily, narrowing his eyes at the Captain. "Now tell me what the heck's going on."

Instead of answering his question, the grin simply reappeared on the Captain's face. Without taking his threatening gaze off of Eugene, he snapped his fingers.

"Bind him."

"What—No!" Before Eugene could react, the other two guards were on top of him, wrestling him towards the opposite wall. Eugene struggled with all of his might, but the two men overpowered him. They shoved him in front of the window, his head banging painfully against the hard metal bars in the process. As he fought away the dizzying pain, he tried to pull back, but something had bound his wrists against the window bars, and his heart froze as he spotted the iron shackles now clamped around his wrists, chained firmly to the bars. He yanked back even harder, but to no success.

He was trapped.

"What are you _doing?_" Eugene yelled out, infuriated. His heart pounded inside his chest as he pulled against the shackles once again, even perching his boot against the wall to try to add more force. But all that did was send a sharp pain through his wrists as the iron dug into them. Heart racing even quicker, he tried to turn his head to catch a glimpse of the Captain and see just what the heck he was doing, but he could only catch a little glance at him out of the corner of his eye. Oh, gosh…What was going on?

"As long as you're here, Rider," Eugene heard the Captain snarl behind him as he strained against his restraints, "you're under my jurisdiction. And I say you get the punishment you _deserve_!"

Before Eugene knew what was coming, a sudden snap filled the air. Without warning, an excruciating pain sliced through his bare back, and he couldn't help but cry out in agony. Clenching his fists tightly and shutting his eyes even tighter, he did everything he could to will away the pain, but it just wouldn't leave. He could feel the blood trickling down his skin, and he gasped as he realized what had just happened.

A whip. He had just been whipped.

"No—" he gasped out, knowing that, when one lashing came, another was soon to follow. His whole body tensed at the thought of the dreaded strike, and his heart rose into his throat. He mentally pleaded with the Captain to cease, hoping that the man would show _some_ mercy…_Some _leniency…_Anything!_

Not a chance.

"Don't like that, Rider?" the Captain sneered, and Eugene braced himself for another lashing. "How about _this one_?"

Even bracing himself did nothing. Once again, the whip cut through his back, even more painful than the first time. Eugene tried his best to suppress a shout, but it was impossible. He squeezed his eyes shut so tightly that it hurt, and he cursed himself as he felt the hot tears running down his cheeks.

"No…" he whispered, and then his plea rose to where the Captain could hear it. "Please!" He hated himself for practically begging for mercy…Especially when he was begging the _Captain_, of all people. But he couldn't help it. Anything to make this torture end…

But the Captain was far from over. In fact, he cracked the whip in midair, and chuckled as Eugene involuntarily flinched. Eugene swallowed, his eyes still shut tight. This dread was killing him…This searing pain was killing him…

"Should have thought about this before you stole the princess's crown!" the Captain scoffed. "Crime and punishment go hand-in-hand, Rider! You made your own bed!" The Captain brought the whip down a third time.

A crack. A slash. An indescribable sting that set Eugene's whole back on fire. Another cry of pure anguish. The whole thing was just unbearable…

Once again, Eugene summoned all his strength and tried desperately to rip away from the shackles. Nothing. He was still trapped and fully vulnerable to the wrath of the Captain.

A fourth lashing. A fifth. A sixth. Each one ten times more painful than the next. As the seventh lashing came, Eugene collapsed to his knees, his wrists still bound high above his head, coughing as he tried to catch his breath. _He couldn't catch his breath._ The Captain was relentless with his weapon now, swinging without even giving Eugene a second to breathe. The urge for revenge had overtaken the man, and the slashes came one after the other, Eugene choking on the tears and the pain that had consumed his entire body. _No air… _Eugene tried his best to count how many times the whip had struck his back, but around twenty, he completely lost count and instead focused on his lungs, which were practically _screaming_ for air. _He needed air!_

"_This_ is what you get, Rider!" Another snap.

"I want to see you _pay_!" Another slice.

"I want you to _wish_," _Slash. _"_YOU_" _Slash._ "_WERE"_ _Slash_. _"NEVER"_ _Slash._ "_BORN!"_

"Captain!" Finally, one of the guards jumped in and stopped the Captain, just as Eugene was on the verge of passing out in pain. He coughed and choked, nearly vomiting as he tried to catch his breath. Oh, man. No more…

_"_Please…" he choked out, a coughing fit overtaking him once again. "No more…Please…Please, stop…"

"I think the prisoner has had enough," the guard sighed, motioning for the Captain to calm down. For a moment, the Captain looked as if he was going to refuse, and then, the fire faded from his eyes and he finally composed himself.

"Fine, then," the Captain grumped. "I guess that'll teach him a lesson. Let him down."

Both guards swooped in and quickly obeyed the Captain's orders, unlocking Eugene's shackles. Immediately, the young man collapsed onto all fours, taking in greedy gulps of air. Oh, gosh, sweet air…

The Captain looked down disgustedly at Eugene. "Remember _that_," he cracked the whip and a smile spread across his face as Eugene flinched once again, "before you get any ideas."

The Captain spit down at Eugene, hitting the side of his face, and then chuckled as he unlocked the bars and strode out of the prisoner's cell, his men following close behind him.

The bars were locked, the voices faded, and Eugene was alone in his suffering.

Eugene coughed once again, which sent an agonizing sting piercing through his entire body. _That_ made him _wince_, which only increased the searing pain in his back. His back felt light it had been lit on fire, and his spine felt as if it had been severed in two. He had no clue how long he just knelt there on all fours, breathing cautious, raspy breaths and trying his best not to move an inch for fear of the excruciating pain that was sure to follow. Another hot tear rolled down his face, mingling with the Captain's saliva, and Eugene angrily wiped them both away. He couldn't believe he had been _stupid _enough not to see that coming!

Finally, Eugene got to the point where he knew he _had_ to move. He couldn't just stay like that forever. Holding back curses as he painfully inched across the floor at a snail's pace, he moved over to where his shirt and vest were tossed on the ground. He picked up his white shirt and brushed it off with a sigh, and then slipped it over his head, nearly screaming in agony when the white fabric touched his lacerations. He didn't even bother with his vest. It was just so torturous…

He grimaced as he felt the shirt stick to his bloody back, and he wished there had been some way he could have cleaned his wounds before putting his shirt back on. But there wasn't any clean water in sight; just some old bucket in the corner full of dirty water…Or, at least, it used to be full. In all this commotion with the whipping, someone had toppled it over. Eugene sighed. Things just weren't going well for him right now.

Oh, well. He would just have to cope through tonight. Eventually, his scars would heal…Eventually. Right then, it felt like the burning, stinging pain would _never_ free him from its grasp.

Eugene shifted, trying to find a comfortable position to prop himself, though it was hard when he had limited movement and it was practically impossible to lean against a wall at the time. Finally, he decided the best choice would be to get on his stomach, and he spent what seemed like a lifetime trying to do something that usually took about three seconds.

With one last gasp of pain, Eugene was finally able to roll over onto his stomach and rested his head on his folded arms, just wishing he could escape from this nightmare. He was thankful to that one guard who had stopped the Captain. Who knew how many more lashings the Captain would have given him had that man not stepped in? Ugh…Eugene shivered at the thought.

And to think…Who knew how long Eugene was going to be here? He had a bad feeling that this was only the _beginning_ of his torture sessions with the Captain. And there wasn't much anyone could do about it. As long as he was imprisoned, the Captain decided his fate in the prisons. Sure, he couldn't sentence him to death, but Eugene knew, if this kept up, he would much rather be dead. The mere thought made his heart rise into his throat.

Closing his eyes, he then realized how exhausted he was. But it was going to be impossible to get to sleep…Not when he was in such excruciating pain…Eugene sighed.

One thing was for sure…It was going to be a long night.

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><p><strong>EEP!<strong>

**I'm so evil, aren't I? Gosh...I just want to give Eugene a hug...I'M SO SORRY!**

**Ok, just a quick story to try and cheer you up before I start the review replies (and the _VERY IMPORTANT_ A/N!). Although...after that, I don't think anything's going to cheer you up. But anyway, here we go.**

**So, I was talking to one of my friends and they were telling me about a Tangled story they wrote. I was curious to know what happened so they began explaining it to me. Suddenly, this guy I know (the same guy who's never seen Tangled and called Eugene "Flo Rida and Eugene Fishburger") walks over just as my other friend is saying, "And so, Rapunzel gets hurt and tries to sing the magic song to heal herself-"**

**The guy interrupts. "The magic song? What's that?"**

**"Some thing off of Tangled," I answer.**

**So guess what this guy does?**

**He bursts into random song.**

**"HEAL ME, HEAL ME, THIS IS THE MAGIC SONG!**

**HEAL ME, HEAL ME, THIS IS THE MAGIC SONG!"**

**So, behold. The magic song. Ta-da. If you ever get hurt, just sing that! Lol...It was _so_ funny at the moment, though.**

**Whenever there's an awkward silence, that just pops up in my head now. Yeah...**

**So, anyway, enough of my rambling. REVIEW REPLIES!**

**TinySlippers: Just a type of fruit :-) I think it's like an orange but I'm not sure. But as you see, looks like I still need one...**

**MMShadowWolf: AWWWWW! I'm glad you think so! Happy belated birthday! And WOAH...I didn't think of that. 13th chapter on the 13th day? Weird...**

**PampleMousse07: Well, he was here in this chapter...Gah. Sometimes I hate him so much I just can't stand writing for him! But I have to...Ugh. ISN'T HE EVIL! SCREAM IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS! "ROBERT IS A-UM...I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING APPROPRIATE RIGHT NOW BUT I'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING!" Lol**

**EugeneandRapunzelFitzherbert: They better return your cookie or they will have to face my ninja wrath. ;-)**

**doodlegirll: Oh, my gosh! Thank you _so_ much! You are one of my favorite writers on the site (my inspiration, really) and I feel so honored to have you be reading my work! Thanks for all the reviews and everything else!**

**Harryfan626: As much as I would like for it to go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on, this is not The Neverending Story. ;-)**

**sunnydayz56: HAHAHAHAHAHA! That bit about Roxanne's quote just made me bust out laughing...**

**Gleekforever: That right there was funny...And don't worry! Your reviews are just as important! It's not just about laughs...It's about what you guys think of the story. Thanks for all your reviews!**

**Rider: lol...about that, I'm a Christian (you might have seen on my page) so I don't use the Lord's name in vain, in real life or in my stories. That's the only substitute word I could think of...hehehe!**

**TangledGirlForever: Best writer ever? AWWWW! *Sprouts angel wings and floats away* Thanks _so_ much! And don't worry, I don't mind long reviews! Actually, I _do_ have a deviantart account (it's the same username as my fanfiction account) but, concerning the fanart, that's actually what my _VERY IMPORTANT A/N_ is about at the end of this. Read on, please!**

**kittehkitty2: Thank you anyway for the kumquat, even though I am obviously irresponsible (lol). And keep Trusty Rusty on standby...May need him for backup one of these chapters...Hopefully this distressing chapter did not put anymore greys on your head...Eep!**

**Katie: Ninja? You are speaking my language. ;-) Thanks!**

**EugeneLoverRapunzel: Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much...I _wish_ this was a sequel! Though I doubt Disney would have included the scene in this chapter in there...**

**Ok, that's it for review replies! Now...ON TO THE _VERY, EXTREMELY, AMAZINGLY, UBER IMPORTANT A/N!_ Ok, It's just a question, but it's important to _me_!**

**Do you guys think anyone would be willing to do fanart for this? I don't want to ask if nobody's interested. If you could, would you please leave in your review (which you are leaving, correct? ;-) ) if you would be interested in possibly doing fanart for the story? If I have enough people who would be willing to create some fanart, then I'll put up some of the details. But if no one wants to, I'm not going to worry about it. Thanks so much!**

**Again, I'm sorry for my evil chapter of evilness. Things will get better...I hope. Just keep reading!**

**Thanks for all your reviews and everything! You guys are awesome!**

**More soon!**

**-Sheep1215**


	15. Prisoner

**Hi!**

**Oh, my gosh, I'm SO sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long! I was out of town for a week, and now that I'm back, I'm sick! Bleh...This chapter probably isn't up to standards (it was SO much longer, but I had to cut like half of it out and move it to the next chapter) but I tried my best! I hope you guys enjoy it, nonetheless!**

**THANK. YOU. GUYS. SO. MUCH! I LOVE YOU GUYS! OVER 300 REVIEWS? I ALMOST CRIED. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZINGING! SEE? I'M SO EXCITED THAT I CAN'T SPELL! LOL...YOU GUYS ROCK! KEEP THEM COMING! (I'm so greedy, aren't I? lol)**

**Oh, yeah, funny story. While I was gone, I met the most AMAZINGLY AWESOME DUDE! And guess what his name was? Robert. HA! Immediately, when I heard the name, I was like, oh, man, dude, I'm not sure if I wanna hang around you. But once I got to know him, he was so cool!**

**Also, I made a bunch of buttons while I was gone...I am planning on wearing my "Fitzherbert Fan Girl" one out with pride. ;-)**

**OH, AND ANOTHER THING OF GREAT NEWS! (Well, two things, really) OK, SO RAPUNZEL IS BECOMING AN OFFICIAL DISNEY PRINCESS! THIS OCTOBER, SHE'S GOING TO HAVE AN ACTUAL CORONATION AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE! AFTER THAT, SHE'LL BE ADDED WITH ALL THE DISNEY MERCHANDISE! (Why couldn't they have done that when I was at Disney World? I was getting SO mad at Tiana for being on everything when Rapunzel was nowhere to be found... ;-) ) OH, YEAH, AND THE NEXT AWESOME THING! COME SPRING 2012, RAPUNZEL AND EUGENE'S MARRIAGE IS GOING TO BE SHOWN ON DISNEY CHANNEL! GAH! I ALMOST DIED WHEN I SAW THAT! (Like, seriously...I actually ran around the house screaming. I'm not kidding.)**

**But anyway, enough of my delusional fangirl ranting. Onto the story!**

**Even after a week of solitude, I still don't own Tangled...BUT I NOW OWN A RAPUNZEL TOWEL AND ALSO AN ECO-FRIENDLY TANGLED BAG! (Thank you, Disney Store...I love you!)**

**The Chapter song for Chapter 15 is "Far Away" by Nickelback...Love that song!**

* * *

><p>Rapunzel swallowed as she and her mother made their way down the dark hallways of the prisons. This was one area of the castle that she had never visited before, and, as brave as she was trying to be, the princess was genuinely nervous.<p>

There wasn't much light in the hallway—only the dim glow of the lit torches that were fastened to the wall every so often, making the dungeons even more ominous. The only noise surrounding her was the occasional skitter of a rat across the cold stone floor, and the constant jeers of the incarcerated criminals as the royal duo made their way past their cells. Rapunzel couldn't help but gasp at some of the horrible curses that the prisoners were shouting at her and her mother, and she immediately lowered her head, embarrassed. Queen Amelia, noticing her daughter's discomfort, took Rapunzel's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. The princess looked up gratefully at her mother, thankful that she had been willing to accompany her that night. Queen Amelia truly was the mother that she never had.

Rapunzel took a breath and turned her head forward once again, trying to block out the rude insults of the inmates around her and instead trying to look on the bright side of things: She would get to see Eugene. The princess sighed, feeling horrible that Eugene was confined in an environment like this. Another rat darted across the walkway in front of her, and that just reinforced her point.

She thought about Eugene seeing her again. What would he say? Did he know about the council's plot to keep him locked away forever? Would he even _want_ to see her? He had run away from her last time…So many questions swirled in her mind.

Before she knew it, her mother had stopped, and turned to face one criminal's cell. Rapunzel tried to peek through, but two guards standing at attention blocked her view.

"My daughter is here to see Eugene," Queen Amelia told them. "Would you let her in, please?"

The guards, whom Rapunzel could tell were quite surprised to see the queen and princess in such squalor as this, quickly obeyed, stepping aside with a bow.

"O—of course, your highnesses," one stuttered, while the other swooped in to unlock the cell door. As soon as the door slid open, Rapunzel took one last deep breath, looked up at her mother one last time, and then hesitantly stepped inside of the cell, butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she heard the bars slide shut behind her.

Eugene was in here.

At first, Rapunzel's eyes had to adjust to the darkness, seeing as the only light in the prisoner's cell was the faint glow of the torches in the hallway and the moonlight shining in from the barred window. Blinking a few times, she surveyed the area, looking around for her beloved Eugene. Suddenly, she spotted him, but instead of her heart soaring with joy, it immediately froze. There he was, lying, unmoving, on his stomach. Something dark stained the back of his shirt, and Rapunzel squinted, trying to make out what it was. Suddenly, she realized, and stumbled backwards with a gasp. It was…_blood_. Oh, gosh…Was he _dead_?

"_Eugene!_" Rapunzel shrieked, fearing the worst as she rushed over to his side.

"Hmm...Gah! Wha—It's not my frog!" Rapunzel heaved a huge sigh of relief as Eugene jolted upwards with a snort, looking worriedly around the area. Suddenly, he winced with a gasp of pain, and the princess's relieved look flooded with concern. However, as soon as Eugene spotted Rapunzel, his pained look disappeared and he blinked in disbelief, as if he thought he was still dreaming.

"Ra…Rapunzel?" he mumbled, rubbing groggily at his face. "Is that you?"

"Yeah," she whispered with a smile, kneeling down next to him, "it's me."

Once he realized she wasn't just another figment of his imagination, his astonished look was replaced with a loving smile, and he reached up to touch her face. "Oh…Blondie…I've missed you _so_ much…"

"I've missed you, too," she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. He tried his best to return the embrace, but Rapunzel could feel his muscles tense underneath her and heard him let out a small gasp of pain. She quickly pulled back, her eyes wide with worry.

"Eugene, what happened?" she asked quietly, gently laying a hand on his face.

Eugene, still a little drowsy, looked confused for a second. Then, Rapunzel saw his eyes flood with understanding, but he still played dumb. "What do you mean?"

The princess didn't buy the act. "You know what I mean! There's blood all over the back of your shirt! What happened to you?"

"Oh," Eugene mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, "that. It's nothing."

"What do you mean it's nothing?" Rapunzel gestured to the back of his blood-stained shirt. "Look at your back!"

Eugene chuckled, much to Rapunzel's surprise. "That's kind of impossible, Blondie."

Now Rapunzel was fed up with all of the young man's attempts to beat around the bush. Tired of jokes, she gazed seriously into his eyes. "You _know_ what I mean. Tell me the _truth_. Please…Tell me what happened!"

Eugene opened his mouth as if he was going to brush it off once again, and then he let out a sigh, staring down at the ground.

"It was, uh…" he admitted quietly. "It was my punishment."

"_Punishment_?" Rapunzel repeated, confused. "But your sentencing was…" Rapunzel trailed off, not sure if she should quite reveal the council's hidden plot yet. Finally, she sighed. "Let me see."

Eugene looked anxious—almost guilty, Rapunzel noticed—as he began to remove his shirt, but suddenly, he winced with a suppressed cry of pain. Rapunzel crawled over to face his back, and saw that the blood from whatever wounds he had received had stuck his shirt to his back. The little bit of skin that she _could_ see was raw and scarred…Things didn't look pretty.

"Hold on," she said soothingly, and then turned to the guards stationed outside of Eugene's cell.

"Hey!" she called, and the two men immediately whirled around to face her. "I—I need some clean water, and a washcloth," Rapunzel requested. "And some bandages…Please!"

At first the guards looked hesitant, but then they quickly bowed.

"Of course, your highness," one nodded, and then he hurriedly ran off to heed the princess's request. Queen Amelia peered through the bars with a concerned look on her face, but Rapunzel turned back to the injured young man, all her attention focused on Eugene.

"Rapunzel, you don't have to do this—" he objected.

"Yes, I do," Rapunzel cut him off. "I'm not going to let you stay here like this. Who did this to you?"

"Courtesy of the Captain," Eugene answered, "A few of the other guards helped tie me down, but if it wasn't for one of them, believe me…It would have been a lot worse than this."

She should have known. Like the council, the Captain of the Guard had always had a grudge against Eugene… "How did he—" she tried to pull up his shirt just a little bit more to make out what caused Eugene's scars, but she froze guiltily as Eugene let out another gasp of pain. "I'm sorry!"

"Easy back there, Blondie," Eugene cautioned. "It's not a pretty picture."

"I'm sorry…" Rapunzel said again, drawing back. She grew even more nervous. His back must be pretty bad, for Eugene to be in so much pain…

Suddenly, she spotted the guard returning, and with a sigh of relief, the princess scampered to her feet, running over towards him. One of the men unlocked the bars, handing her a bucket of clean water, a washcloth, and a roll of wrap-around bandaging. She smiled, happy that at least _a few_ of these guards were willing to help her.

"Thank you," she said gratefully, and then ran back over to Eugene, careful not to spill the water. She kneeled down next to him, dipping the washcloth in the water, and gently began easing it under his shirt, separating the fabric from the scars. Even though she was trying to help, she still felt horrible every time Eugene flinched. Whatever had happened, it was worse than she had first thought.

"I wish I knew how to work with herbs," Rapunzel sighed, tenderly dabbing his back with the washcloth.

Eugene chuckled. "I don't think putting daffodils on my back is going to help much, Blondie."

Rapunzel rolled her eyes playfully, and then sighed in relief as she was finally able to free the last bit of bloodied fabric from Eugene's back. "There." She watched, wincing herself, as Eugene slowly removed the white shirt. Then, she let out a gasp as she finally caught a full sight of Eugene's back. Deep red scars were streaked across the raw skin, some even crossing over each other. There were so many, she didn't even want to count. Clasping a hand over her mouth, she suddenly realized exactly what the Captain had done to her beloved.

"_Lashings?_" Rapunzel asked, her voice a breathless whisper.

"Lost count at twenty," Eugene sighed. "The old man didn't hold back at all."

Rapunzel tried to hold back the tears that sprang to her eyes. The deep scars slashed across Eugene's back numbered _way_ more than twenty. How? How could she have let this happen? Her hand still clasped over her mouth, she shook her head in disbelief, the tears threatening to spill over even more. Only one night in prison, and Eugene had gone through this?

"I—I can't believe this," Rapunzel choked out, shutting her eyes and praying that Eugene's scars were just some illusion. "Why didn't I come earlier? I—I could have done something! I _never_ would have let this happen…And now you're—n—now you're—" Rapunzel squeezed her eyes shut even tighter, furious at herself for allowing this to happen.

Rapunzel removed her hand from her mouth and wrapped her arms tightly around herself, and, before she knew it, another pair of arms was wrapped around her as well. Eyes still shut tightly, she snuggled close to the strong young man's chest, careful not to hurt him. For a while, neither one of them spoke, and Rapunzel began letting the tears flow freely down her cheeks, her ear pressed up against Eugene's chest as she took in his heartbeat. Eugene had said that one of the other guards had stopped the Captain…If he had kept going, would that precious heart still be beating now?

Rapunzel's eyes opened, and she gazed through her blurry tears up at Eugene.

"I have to tell my parents," she said firmly. "Something has to be done about this."

To Rapunzel's surprise, the young man shook his head.

"No, Blondie," he gazed lovingly into her eyes as he spoke, "you can't do that. We've gotten ourselves into enough trouble already—" he corrected himself with a shrug. "—Well, at least,_ I_ have…And I don't want to make things worse for _you_, too."

"Eugene, it can't get much worse than _this_!" Rapunzel gestured to Eugene's bloodied back in disbelief. How on earth could he be refusing to get help? "Besides, telling my parents will only make it better, right?"

Eugene shook his head once again. "I'm not sure, Rapunzel…You've seen what happened when they tried to stand up to the council...They had practically _no_ power."

"But this is different!" Rapunzel refused to give up. "They don't need the consent of the council to do something about the Captain. Maybe they could fire him, or—"

"And can you imagine how long that would take?" Eugene interrupted, his gaze going serious. "And in the meantime, I'm sure the Captain would very much enjoy beating me to death, seeing as his career wouldn't be at stake."

"But it doesn't have to take long!" Rapunzel was insistent. "My parents are king and queen! With a snap of their fingers, the Captain can be gone—"

"—Leaving all of his faithful subordinates behind to take revenge on the filthy criminal who ended up getting their Captain fired." Eugene finished, laying a gentle finger on the princess's lips. "Rapunzel…please. Please, just keep this between us. It's not worth creating a big fuss. Everything will get better in time. Just…please."

Rapunzel opened her mouth to object as soon as Eugene let his hand fall, but then she sighed and looked sadly down at the ground. As much as she wanted to tell her parents, Eugene was right. Firing the Captain wouldn't do much good; who knew what he would do in the meantime? And even after he was gone, the other guards would all be there…It seemed like no matter what she did, Eugene would never be able to get away. Though she was furious at the circumstances, Rapunzel nodded her head. "You're right. Ok, I won't tell them." Tears streamed down her cheeks once again as she thought of all the pain that her beloved had endured. "I just…I just wish there was something I could do…"

The hopelessness of the situation consumed her once again, and she rubbed angrily at her eyes, tired of crying. But she just couldn't help it. What else could she do? Her body shook with sobs as the tears cascaded even more freely now, and she pulled her knees close to her chest, wishing that she and Eugene could just escape from this nightmare…

Concern flooding his face, Eugene moved close to Rapunzel, ignoring the pain as he wrapped his arms around her. He gently stroked her hair, moving his face close to her ear so he could whisper to her.

"Rapunzel," he whispered soothingly, "you have already done _so_ much for me…I mean, who else would visit someone like _me_ in a place like _this_? You're a _princess_, and yet, think about this…You're in a _prison,_ of all places, visiting a thief. I mean, how many people would do something like that? Especially someone as amazing as you…"

Rapunzel swallowed, gazing up into Eugene's caring amber eyes as he pulled back. "No, Eugene. You're not a thief. I know you didn't steal that crown. I know you've changed! I just don't know why everyone else won't realize that…Because I do."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, a smile appeared on Eugene's face.

"Thanks, Blondie," he said lovingly, "that means a lot."

The two were quiet for a moment, just taking in the sight of each other and savoring the beauty of finally being together. Suddenly, Rapunzel remembered that she had gotten the bandaging to tend to Eugene's wounds, and she had totally forgotten about it. Grabbing the roll of wrap-around gauze, she crawled over towards Eugene and began wrapping his ribs in the bandaging, thankful to see the ugly scars disappear, if only for now. However, as she tended to the young man's wounds, she wasn't really focused on what she was doing. Instead, she was focused on the nagging question that had been troubling her ever since that one night where she had searched for Eugene in the rain. Finally, she let out a sigh.

"Eugene, why did you run away from me?"

Eugene tried his best to look over his shoulder at her, a confused look on his face. "I didn't—Wait. Did you find my letter?"

"I'm not talking about why you_ left_," Rapunzel shook her head. "I'm talking about a few nights ago. It was really dark, and I came out in that horrible storm to come look for you. I know you saw me, and I thought you heard me, but…You ran away from me!" Rapunzel felt like her heart was being painfully squeezed at the memory of Eugene racing away from her.

Surprisingly, Eugene still looked confused. "You…I never—" Suddenly, realization flooded his face, and with a distraught sigh, he dropped his head into his hands. "Oh, man…I'm such an idiot! I…I'm so sorry, Blondie…"

Now it was Rapunzel's turn to be confused. She gently touched his shoulder, concerned at his sudden change of emotion. "Eugene…What—"

"I was stupid," Eugene said roughly. "In all that commotion, with the storm, and knowing that the crown was still in my satchel, and I had forgotten to give it back to you…I—I thought you were a guard. And when I heard you calling me," he sighed once again, "I thought—Well, I had been hearing your voice ever since I left! So I thought…I thought it was all in my head. So I ran. I didn't want to get caught, and put you through…Well, this. I…I'm so sorry…"

Rapunzel fell silent, taking it all in. To think, Eugene had been haunted that badly by her voice? Now she felt so sorry for him…She couldn't even imagine the torture he had gone through…for her.

"No…Eugene, _I'm_ sorry," she said quietly. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, and I want you to know that I'm not the least bit mad at you. Honest."

Eugene just let out a slight murmur as a reply.

Finally, Rapunzel finished bandaging Eugene's wounds, and she inspected the young man, worried that she might have hurt him.

"Too tight?" she asked.

Eugene shook his head, though he didn't really seem to be listening. He was staring at the ground, off in some kind of daze.

"I just…wanted to make you happy," he mumbled.

Rapunzel let out a breathless sigh and crawled in front of him so she could look into his eyes. Gently, she raised his chin and gazed fondly at him.

"How could I be happy…without you?"

Eugene chuckled. "I've been asking myself the same question since this whole mess came up."

Rapunzel smiled, trying her best not to show any fear. "Eugene…No matter what happens, I'll always love you."

"Same here, Blondie," Eugene whispered, pulling her close. "Same here."

For a moment, Eugene caressed the back of Rapunzel's head, and Rapunzel's jade green eyes gazed lovingly into the ex-thief's. Before the princess knew what was happening, Eugene gently laid a hand on the nape of her neck and pulled the young princess in for a kiss.

As soon as their lips touched, Rapunzel felt the passion surge through her, and she gently wrapped her arms around Eugene's neck, careful not to rub against his scars. For that moment, it was just Eugene and her…No one else. No one was around to hurt them; no one was around to pull them apart. No longer did Rapunzel feel she was in a damp, dark prison. But now she was somewhere heavenly: in Eugene's arms. It was just the two of them…And, oh, gosh…It had been so long since something felt this perfect…

When the kiss ended, Rapunzel let out a breath, feeling like she had been flying. She smiled up at Eugene, her whole being floating on air as she gazed into her true love's affectionate eyes.

"I love you," she whispered.

A smile laced at her lips as Eugene tenderly tucked a lock of her cocoa brown hair behind her ear.

"I love you more," he smiled.

"I love you most."

Once again, neither one of them spoke as they savored the moment, gazing affectionately into each other's eyes. Suddenly, the moment of silence was interrupted by a yawn from Rapunzel, and she realized just how tired she was. Without a second thought, the princess turned and snuggled against Eugene, her eyelids already beginning to droop.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were tired, Blondie," Eugene chuckled, lovingly stroking her head.

"Mmh," Rapunzel murmured indistinctly, shutting her eyes and pulling the young man closer.

Eugene chuckled again, and Rapunzel smiled as she felt his warm breath on her neck.

"Blondie," he whispered into her ear, "you can't sleep here. You need to get to bed."

Rapunzel barely heard what Eugene said; she was already drifting into slumber. With one last mumble, she pulled herself even closer to Eugene, his warmth better than any blanket the castle had to offer.

"Rapunzel…"

Rapunzel didn't reply, her awareness fading with every second that passed.

Finally, Eugene let out a sigh, and rubbed the princess's shoulder affectionately.

"Goodnight, Blondie," Eugene whispered, kissing Rapunzel lightly on the cheek. "Sweet dreams."

That was the last thing Rapunzel heard before the drowsiness consumed her, and she knew, in that amazing man's arms, there was no doubt that her dreams would be just as sweet as he said.

* * *

><p><strong>Not that satisfied with the ending, but...Ok. Let me know what you guys think! It's going to start picking up in the next few chapters...don't worry.<strong>

**So, REVIEW REPLIES! Wow...I've got a lot to make up for.**

**dreaminsapphire: I feel the same way about putting blanks...Thanks a lot for the compliment!**

**MMShadowWolf: Oh, I LOVE Enrique Iglasias! I'll have to look up that song. Thanks!**

**Harryfan626: Hehehe...I'm sure that guy would have enjoyed that very much...And have fun at camp!**

**Reverend Lovejoy: I completely understand. I'm glad you like it! Oh, and don't worry. Mr. Captain Man will get better in a few chapters. Don't worry-He'll get his own little moment. -)**

**PampleMousse07: Nopey dopey. More than 12. I was reading a book that said a guy passed out around thirty lashes, so I tried to go as far as I could without Eugene passing out. And just keep reading...You'll see what happens!**

**TangledGirlForever: LOL! Some of my favorite villians were in there! I should try that one of these days...But I made you cry? Awwwww! And I officially love your dog. He should be the anti-Robert brigade mascot! (Dress him up as Pascal or something ;-) ) Eviloborkus...HA! Oh, and if you still want to send in the fanart, I think there are shops here and there that have scanners for people to use. If you want, you can ask around, and you might find something. Or, if you have a digital camera, you can take a picture and post it on Deviantart. But thanks for showing interest! I really appreciate it!**

**EdwardBellaAndSasuSaku4Eva: I want to get in on the Robert pinata bashing! lol...and thanks!**

**Silverbellsb: AWWW! FANART? Thanks so much! You might have seen earlier, if you don't have a scanner, there are some shops that specialize in letting you use them. Or, if you have a digital camera, you can just take a picture of it and post it on Deviantart (tag Sheep1215 or something) and then let me know when it's up. Anyway, thank you SO much!**

**kittehkitty2: *Robotic Voice*: YES. I AM NOT SHEEP1215. I AM HER EVIL CLONE, SHEEP1214. FEAR ME. Oh, and thanks for the kumquats! I'll use them in my next attempt at OWNING TANGLED! *Laughs maniacally* Oops...Was that out loud?**

**sunnyprincessbird: AWWWWWW! The thing about the big brown eyes made ME sad! :'-( **

**dannybird22: Thanks very much!**

**lily: I would prefer the 14th floor...But that will work too. ;-)**

**Lexi: You know, the weird thing was that I was thinking that too...SHIRTLESS EUGENE! BUAHAHAHAHA!**

**fryingpanninja107: I am calling the doughnut delivery ppl right now... (Also, I think you will be super angry to know that when I was typing your name for the review reply, I accidently typed Robert at first. HAHAHAHAHA! Sorry...)**

**An Unknown Foreign Beauty: OH, GOSH, PLEASE, NO! HERE! YOU READ IT! BE HAPPY! JUST PLEASE DON'T JOIN THE ROBERT TEAM! lol...On a happier note, I'm really enjoying your story! ;-)**

**justlookup: I would so do that if I wasn't a grammar-obsessed freak...lol!**

**That just about does it!**

**Oh, and one more random, non-related question!**

**IS ANYONE AS FREAKED OUT ABOUT PIXAR'S NEW MOVIE "BRAVE" AS I AM? *SQUEAL!***

**...**

**...**

**...**

**No?**

**Ok, then.**

**I'll update super quick (or try to) to make up for the long week of waiting!**

**Thanks for everything, you guys!**

**-Sheep1215**


	16. Too Far

**Hey, everyone!**

**So, here's Chapter 16 of All That Really Mattered! Yeah, it took longer to come out than I had first intended, but that's because I've TOTALLY been lacking inspiration. Uck. So this chapter, I'm going to warn you ahead of time, is not that good. I tried-I really did, but still...Bleh. I don't like it that much. It's also super long...Sorry, you guys. I've just been out of it recently. Another problem is my brain is coming up with all these ideas for the future chapters, it's neglecting ones like these! Oh, well. At least you can rest assured the future chapters should turn out amazing. lol.**

**Not much else to say...**

**Oh, wait, yeah!**

**DID I MENTION HOW AMAZING YOU GUYS ARE? SO MANY REVIEWS! Seriously, I _never_ thought my writing would become this popular. Hehehe...I'm afraid it's all going to go to my head. But still, I _love_ you guys! You don't know how happy it makes me every time I see a new review. You guys are incredible. I cannot thank you enough. Keep them up! (Review replies at the end...blah blah blah...)**

**Oh, and thanks for all of you who responded to the fanart thing! If you guys have anything, post it up on deviantart if you can. My username on there is also sheep1215, so if you want to send me a message on there about it, that's fine too. Thanks!**

**So, on with the story!**

**Chapter song: _Be With You_ by Enrique Iglesias (Thanks to MMShadowWolf for telling me about that song)**

**Me: Okey dokey, Disney! Here's your kumquats!**

***Drops whole box of kumquats on table (Courtesy of kittehkitty2-THANKS! lol)***

**Me: NOW GIMME TANGLED!**

**Disney Dude: Oh...Uh, thanks, but we just hired some dude yesterday named Jerry, and uh...He's allergic to kumquats. So, uh, no can do.**

**O.o**

**...**

**Me: CURSE YOU, JERRY!**

**Still don't own Tangled...**

* * *

><p>"Rapunzel…Rapunzel, wake up, honey…"<p>

"Mmm…Eugene?" Rapunzel mumbled, her eyes fluttering open. However, instead of finding herself in Eugene's arms, she was back in her bed in the castle, and the one speaking to her was her mother. A depressed feeling flooded her as she sat up and rubbed at her eyes, looking around her familiar bedroom with a yawn. Her mother must have moved her back into her room once she had fallen asleep in Eugene's cell…But she really wished she hadn't. Oh, gosh…It had been so wonderful to be back in his arms.

"Hey, sweetie," Queen Amelia sat down next to her daughter on the bed and smiled gently. "How are you?"

"Tired," Rapunzel answered groggily.

Queen Amelia nodded, lightly rubbing her daughter's back. "Well, I'm sorry that I had to wake you, but you're still wearing your dress…Would you like to put on a gown?"

"Sure," Rapunzel nodded, still only half-awake. Drowsily, she rose from her bed, walking like a zombie towards her walk-in closet where she kept her nightgowns. She sluggishly changed into a light purple gown, and emerged from the closet, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"There you go," Queen Amelia smiled as Rapunzel walked over to her bedside and slumped down onto the mattress. "Do you need anything else, Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel began to shake her head, but then she realized how parched she was. "Actually," she said with a yawn, "could I have some water, please?"

"Of course," the queen nodded, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her daughter's ear. "I'll go get some for you." She rose to her feet and smiled one last time at Rapunzel as she opened the door. "Be right back."

The door closed, and Rapunzel stared at the ground, letting the silence envelop her. With a sigh, she looked around her lavish, regally designed room, for once, taking time to marvel at every little detail. The meticulously embroidered curtains, the huge canopy bed, the fine oak dressers and nightstand…Even the covers were made of the finest materials—Rapunzel chuckled as she saw Pascal curled up underneath one blanket, sound asleep. Wow…It was such a contrast to that cold, dark prison cell that she had fallen asleep in. Poor Eugene…he was still locked up there, in that darkness…And to make matters worse, he was all alone. Rapunzel sighed. She would give anything to be back with him, even if it meant giving all of this up…

She would let it all go in a heartbeat.

Suddenly, a knock came from her door, jolting the princess out of her thoughts. Rapunzel rose to her feet with another yawn, surprised at how quickly her mother had been able to get that water. About to fall asleep on her feet, she walked over to other side of the room, her hand met the doorknob, and she yawned again as she opened the door.

Whom she saw standing before her completely jolted her out of her drowsiness.

"Robert!" she gasped, trying not to slam the door in the marshmallow suited prince's face. She backed away, trying to signal to Robert that now was not the time, but apparently, the blonde-haired prince did not get the message, because he just stepped through the door, shutting it behind him. Rapunzel tried not to show any fear, but secretly, her heart was practically pounding through her chest.

"Hello, Princess," Robert grinned, but the prince's grin just made Rapunzel's stomach churn. She backed away even more, but still, the prince strode closer. "And what, pray tell, are you up to on such a fine evening?"

"Just getting ready for bed," Rapunzel said, stepping back without taking her anxious eyes off of Robert. Still, the prince approached her, and the princess silently prayed that he would just leave… "Yeah…I'm really tired," she faked a yawn, hoping it seemed convincing. "Maybe I can talk to you tomorrow?"

"Oh, it's ok, darling, I won't take long," The smile was still painted across Robert's face, and Rapunzel could barely suppress a gasp as she took one more step back and bumped against the cold wall behind her. She had literally backed herself into a corner, and Robert took that advantage to move in close to her…Too close for comfort. She looked towards the bed where Pascal was curled up, and thought about calling out for help, but still, what could the little chameleon do? Instead, she took a deep breath, and stared fearfully back into Robert's icy blue eyes.

"I heard about poor Eugene," Robert's voice took a fake tone of sympathy, and his smile turned into the most ridiculous pout. Suddenly, Rapunzel froze as Robert's hands wrapped around her waist, and he embraced her tightly. "I just want you to know, whenever you need me, Princess, I'm here for you…"

Rapunzel swallowed, unable to reply. Instead, she was focusing on Robert's hands, which were slinking lower…lower…

Ok, that was it. Furious, Rapunzel shoved Robert away. "What on earth do you think you're _doing_?" she shrieked.

Robert's feigned look of sympathy faded into one of resentment, and he glared at the angered princess. "You better get used to it, Princess. After all, sooner than you think, you're going to be my _wife_. And I can do whatever I want with you."

Enraged, Rapunzel pushed past Robert, stomping away from him. "Don't remind me," she growled through gritted teeth.

Suddenly, Robert grabbed her wrist and whirled her around. "Of course I'm going to remind you, Princess," he smiled, even though she struggled, "because there's no escaping it. You are _mine_."

Before Rapunzel could break away, Robert yanked her close and planted a forceful kiss on her lips, and with a muffled protest, Rapunzel summoned all her strength and thrust Robert away, disgusted that he would go so far. Wiping angrily at her lips, she shot a dagger-like gaze at the smug-faced prince.

"I'm telling my parents," she said sternly. Immediately, she turned for the door. This had gone far enough.

"Oh, and what do you think they'll do about this?" Robert's icy voice from behind her made Rapunzel stop dead in her tracks. "They've been trying all this time to change the council's minds, but no matter what, they won't budge. So go on! Tell them! It won't make a difference."

Rapunzel gritted her teeth, and she looked down at where she was painfully gripping the doorknob. As much as she hated to admit it, Robert was right. It didn't matter what that stupid prince did…The council just wouldn't change their minds!

Instead of walking out the door herself, Rapunzel turned the handle and practically ripped the door open, gesturing with one arm out the door.

"_Get out,_" she commanded threateningly.

Robert raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, dearest. I'm going, I'm going." He strode towards the door, and Rapunzel didn't even blink as she gave him the fiercest glare she could manage. Suddenly, the devious prince stopped right in the doorway, and stared right into Rapunzel's furious green eyes. "But remember, Princess…You and I are meant to be." Rapunzel heard the crinkle of paper, and saw something flutter to the ground out of the corner of her eye, but her gaze was still locked on Robert, who moved in close to whisper something in her ear. "_For better or for worse_."

Robert's voice sent chills down the young woman's spine, but Rapunzel refused to show any fear, not taking her gaze off of the prince until he was out the door and well down the hallway.

Finally, Rapunzel slammed the door shut and immediately locked it, sliding breathlessly against the door. She swallowed, the unsettling feeling of Robert's arms around her waist refusing to disappear. She shut her eyes tightly, willing her heart to stop beating so furiously. Oh, gosh…She needed Eugene!

It was just like that she stayed, arms wrapped around herself, refusing to open her eyes. She wanted to tell her parents…But she _couldn't_ tell her parents! There would be no point. And if Robert found out…Ugh! Why did he have to scare her so much? It hadn't been so bad when Eugene had been around to protect her…But now he was gone, and she was as vulnerable as ever. Why did life have to be so cruel?

Finally, Rapunzel opened her eyes and took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Robert was gone. It was over…Well, for now. She tried to push the thought out of her mind. She needed to stop torturing herself by worrying about what was going to happen in the future and just focus on right now…Because the future didn't look much better.

So lost in her thoughts, the sudden knock at her door made the princess jerk up with a yelp, and, heart pounding, she rose to her feet and turned towards the door, uncertain whether or not to answer it.

"Wh—Who is it?" she asked nervously, backing away from the door.

"It's me, honey…I've got the water," Rapunzel sighed in relief as the familiar voice of her mother replied. "May I come in?"

"Of course," Rapunzel smiled, her pounding heart finally beginning to slow back to its regular rhythm. With one last relieved breath, she turned the doorknob and pulled the door open to reveal Queen Amelia, standing with a smile and a cup of water in hand.

"Thanks, Mother," Rapunzel said gratefully, taking the water. However, she watched as her mother's smile turned into a look of concern, and the princess realized she must have sounded more out of breath than she thought.

"Rapunzel," Queen Amelia laid a gentle hand on her daughter's forehead, as if she might have had a fever, "are you alright? You don't look too well."

Oh, gosh. She _had_ noticed. Rapunzel took a deep breath. She needed to tell her mother what Robert had done, no matter what that idiot had said. "Um…Actually, Mother…Rob—"

Suddenly, a thought hit her, and she froze mid-sentence. What if Robert was waiting in the hallway as she spoke? If he heard her…Who knew what he would—

"Rapunzel?" her mother questioned again. "Dear, what's wrong? You can tell me."

"N—nothing…" Rapunzel said quietly, biting her lip. "I'm just…tired. Never mind."

"Are you sure? Because—"

"I'm fine," Rapunzel said quickly, taking a sip of the water. "Thanks, Mother. Goodnight."

Before Queen Amelia could reply, Rapunzel shut the door, not wanting to talk anymore. The fear was eating away at her. It almost felt like Robert was in the walls somewhere, just…_watching her_. And she hated it with every fiber of her being.

With a sigh, Rapunzel walked towards her bed, preparing to set the water down on the nightstand, snuff out the candle, and get to sleep. It had been a long day, and—

"Huh?" a sudden crackle of paper under her bare foot made Rapunzel stop in her tracks, and she looked down to see a mysterious, decorated sheet of paper on the floor. Setting the water aside, she curiously leaned down and picked it up, confused to how it had gotten there in the first place. Suddenly, she remembered seeing the paper fluttering to the ground from the snobby prince's hand as he was leaving.

This was Robert's.

Biting her lip, Rapunzel looked down at the sheet, and sure enough, a message was inscribed on it in huge, fancy cursive handwriting. The princess shook her head. Even his _handwriting_ was arrogant-looking!

_Princess Rapunzel,_

_It is with great elation that I announce the upcoming Royal Majesties Ball, which will be taking place on the 27__th__ of this month. As you know, there will be music, dancing, food—and only the finest royals from every kingdom will be attending. I'm sure you are as overjoyed as I am about this festive occasion, but I have something that will make you even more cheerful! Seeing as you and I are hereby betrothed to each other, you will accompany me as my date to the ball, thus announcing to all the neighboring kingdoms Corona's future rulers. Now, I'm sure this comes as a shock to you, seeing as someone as magnificent and stately as I am—_

Rapunzel didn't even bother to read the rest, furiously crumpling up the invite, hurling it to the floor and shoving it under her bed with her foot. This was ridiculous! What the heck could have made that pompous idiot think that she would want to go the Royal Majesties Ball with _him_? She had only been in the castle a few months. This was her first ball, and now she had to go with a jerk that had no respect for her whatsoever? Rapunzel shivered; she could almost feel Robert's icy hands around her waist now…

_No, _Rapunzel thought firmly, pushing the thought out of her mind. _I won't do this. I can't! I can't put up with Snobbert for one more _second_, let alone a whole _night! _I won't do it…I won't!_

Trying her best to forget about the invitation completely, Rapunzel blew out the candle by her bedside and slipped into bed, wrapping herself securely in the covers, as if Robert was hiding just out of sight, ready to snatch her up. She groped in the darkness for the golden locket around her neck, and gripped the heart tightly, shutting her eyes. It seemed like that was the only grip on sanity she had right now…

She let out a sigh, opening her eyes and looking around the room one last time, making out what she could by the faint moonlight seeping through the curtains. Everything here was so magnificent…But material things didn't matter. Who cared if she lived in a castle?

She was just as much a prisoner as Eugene.

O-O-O-O-O

Rapunzel visited Eugene every day after that.

She never thought a prison cell would feel like home, but yet, when she was with him, it didn't matter where she was—Rapunzel always felt better.

She would visit him at least once a day, sometimes even more than that. But she would always stay as long as she could. Sometimes they would just sit there and talk, other times, they would say nothing; just nestle against each other, enjoying one another's company. Whatever they were doing together—It didn't matter. With him, _everything_ felt perfect.

Eventually, the guards stationed outside of Eugene's cell began putting a time limit on Rapunzel's visits, which Rapunzel loathed beyond explanation. However, she savored every second, and as soon as she left each day, it seemed like she would instantly begin counting down the hours until she would see him again.

When Rapunzel _wasn't_ able to visit Eugene, her room was her second home. There she would stay, Pascal her only company, locked in and rarely coming out unless she was asked. She didn't feel willing to face the world…Especially if Robert was still in it.

_She. Needed. Eugene._

On that particular afternoon, Rapunzel was nearing the end of her visit with Eugene—She could feel it, though she dreaded it. Happily snuggled in his lap while he ran his fingers through her hair, the last thing she wanted to think about was leaving. Absentmindedly, she traced the folds of the bandaging under his shirt. She was _dying_ to check and see how his scars were doing, but she knew she couldn't take off the gauze. However, Eugene had said over the past few days he had been feeling _much_ better, and his improved area of movement had reinforced his point. Rapunzel smiled. At least _one_ good thing had happened amidst all this chaos.

The majority of this chaos…being _Robert_.

Rapunzel still couldn't over that night he had barged in her room. The way he had touched her, his lips forced against hers…Ugh…She just couldn't get it out of her head. Every time she thought about it, it just made her _sick_…

"Blondie?" Rapunzel looked up at the sound of Eugene's voice, and saw that the young man's amber eyes were full of concern. "You alright?"

Rapunzel bit her lip, looking back down at the ground. She had been meaning to tell Eugene, but she just _couldn't…_She didn't want to make him upset. And she most _definitely_ did not want him telling her parents. If Robert found out…She shivered at the thought.

Once again, Eugene noticed her unease. "Rapunzel, what's wrong?" he gently rubbed her shoulder, trying to get an answer out of her. "Something's bothering you. I can tell. What's going on?"

Rapunzel took a deep breath. Yes. Now was the time. She needed to tell _somebody_.

"Ok," she breathed. "But first," she gazed up seriously into his eyes, "you have to _promise_ not to tell _anybody_. You won't tell the servants, you won't tell the guards, you won't tell my parents, you won't tell _anybody_. Please."

Now Eugene really looked worried. "Well, now I'm not sure, Blondie, I mean—"

"_Promise me!_"

Eugene fell silent, gazing into the princess's desperate, pleading eyes. Finally, after a moment of hesitation, he let out a sigh and nodded. "Alright, I promise. Now," he gently took her hand and lowered his voice to a whisper, "please tell me what's wrong."

Rapunzel stared at the ground, not quite sure what to say. She swallowed, reluctant to tell him, but then she finally breathed out and confessed.

"Robert's gone too far."

Immediately, Eugene's eyes widened, and Rapunzel felt her grip her hand, as if he would lose her right then.

"What did he do?" Eugene asked urgently.

"Well, he needs to learn to keep his hands to himself," Rapunzel said quietly, "and his _lips_, for that matter."

"He—he _kissed _you?"

Rapunzel looked up at Eugene and nodded, tears flooding her eyes as she thought of how she would have to spend the rest of her life with that vile, insolent prince.

"Oh, Eugene…" she shook her head vigorously, trying to will away the memory. "It was horrible! He just came into my room out of nowhere and acted like he was hugging me, but then he started making me feel really uncomfortable. I tried to make him leave, and pushed him away, but he—he kissed me!" she rubbed at her face, trying to make the tears go away, to no avail. "I know it doesn't seem that bad, but he just—he forced it on me so badly that it hurt! It was one of the most disgusting things I've _ever_ had to endure, and when I said I was going to tell my parents, he just reminded me that they couldn't do anything about it…" she gazed up through her watery eyes at Eugene, who was obviously growing more and more infuriated with every word she said. "Eugene…I can't spend the rest of my life with someone like that…"

"No, you can't," Eugene shook his head, taking both of her hands and gazing sympathetically into her eyes. "Rapunzel, he can't do those things to you. I don't care what he said. Someone _has_ to tell your parents!"

Immediately, Rapunzel's eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. "No, no, you promised!"

Eugene sighed. "I know I did, Blondie, but…Then _you_ need to tell them. Even if they can't persuade the council to abolish the law, they can do _something_ about Robert. He's already a jerk, but you're right—this has gone too far. And someone needs to know. Someone else besides me."

Rapunzel was still unsure. "I—I don't know…What if Robert—"

"Please, Rapunzel," Eugene pleaded, squeezing her hands tightly. "For me. He's changing you—You used to be so brave, and now…He's made you scared. You can't live life like this. And I can't live life knowing you're out there like that. I can't do anything, but _you_ can. Please. _Please_, Blondie."

Rapunzel looked away, but then she _really_ thought about what Eugene had said. He was right; Robert _had_ changed her. Now she just—She just felt so _scared_…And she hated feeling that way. But life _was_ scary now…Why couldn't it just go back to the way it was? _Why?_

Rapunzel finally nodded. "I—I'll try."

Eugene nodded with a small smile as he gazed lovingly into her eyes. Tucking a small lock of hair behind her ear, he nodded. "Good."

The two of them were quiet for a moment, letting in everything that had just been said soak in. Finally, Rapunzel slumped back into Eugene's lap with a sigh, breaking the silence.

"Only a couple more weeks," she murmured to no one in particular.

"What?" Eugene asked.

"In a week or two, the month will be over, and Robert will be gone," Rapunzel smiled at the thought. "At least _that_'s something to look forward to. And then, we can focus on getting you out of here, and—"

"Rapunzel," the princess froze at the sound of Eugene's voice, concerned by its grim tone. "You do realize what's going to happen at the end of this month, right?"

Confused, Rapunzel turned and stared up at him. "Wh—What do you mean?"

Eugene sighed, making Rapunzel all the more anxious. When his eyes locked on hers, those solemn, amber orbs said it all. What he was about to say was _not_ going to be good.

"He's…" he took a deep breath and started again, cradling her cheek gently. "Rapunzel, he's going to propose."

"What?" Rapunzel asked, feeling as if all the breath in her had suddenly been stolen away. "No—No, but—" she tried to catch her breath, unsure of what to say. Oh, gosh…That couldn't be! But now it all made sense…Why had she been so naïve not to think of that before? She shook her head, refusing to believe that. "No, Eugene, I don't have to say yes, right?"

The look in Eugene's eyes said it all. And the more Rapunzel thought about it, she realized how pointless that question had been. Of course she was required to say yes—That was exactly what Eugene and she had been trying to prevent all this time! It was that stupid, stupid law! Of course Rapunzel knew all this time that she would have to marry Robert…She just never thought it would come so soon…

"But, hey," Eugene said quickly, seeing the princess's dejection. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We'll find a way out of this. Heck, if I'm able to endure three consecutive hits upside the head with a frying pan, then I can certainly find a way to get us out of a stupid marriage law." Rapunzel couldn't help but giggle at that. "And you can, too, Blondie." He gazed sincerely into her eyes as he spoke, and Rapunzel could tell Eugene meant every word that he said. "I know you can."

The princess gazed breathlessly into the young man's eyes, her heart lifted by his undying faith in her. No matter what happened, it seemed he would always believe in her, and that was one thing she loved about him. No, she loved _everything_ about him. He was so perfect…So wonderful…She couldn't imagine living another _day_ without him, let alone a lifetime. No, she was going to find a way to make this work. She _had_ to.

For him.

Then, swept away by the moment, she closed her eyes, leaning in to kiss his lips one more time…

"Princess Rapunzel?"

The sudden voice cut the moment short, and Rapunzel whirled around, her heart sinking as she saw the all-too-familiar guard standing in front of the now-open bars.

"I'm very sorry to interrupt," he apologized, "but the King and Queen have sent me to tell you that it's lunchtime, and they would like you to join them in the Dining Hall."

Rapunzel's depressed green eyes went back to Eugene, who tried his best to give her a soft smile.

"Go ahead," he nodded, "I'm not going anywhere…Obviously."

With a tiny smile, Rapunzel threw her arms around his neck, thankful that his scars had finally healed enough for her to be able to hug him. As he returned the embrace, he leaned in close to her ear, lowering his voice so the guard wouldn't hear.

"And Rapunzel," he whispered, "_tell them about Robert_."

Rapunzel nodded as the hug ended. "Ok," she whispered.

With one last sigh, she turned to the guard. "I'm ready," she said, though deep in her heart, she knew that she would never be completely ready to leave Eugene.

The guard nodded and stepped aside, allowing Rapunzel to step through the exit of the cell. She turned and stared at the solitary man inside, who gave her a small wave as the bars were slid shut between them.

"Bye, Blondie," he said quietly, gazing reassuringly into her eyes.

Rapunzel swallowed as she waved in reply. "Goodbye."

And in that one little word, she felt like she was saying goodbye, not only to Eugene, but to her dreams, her future, her happiness…Everything. Every single time she had to bid him farewell, it was like she was saying goodbye to her entire life—a hope that she could never reclaim again. With Eugene locked away, it seemed as if the other half of her heart was, too.

And she had a feeling it would only get worse from here.

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><p><strong>Yeah...not my greatest chapter. Ugh...hated that ending. Hopefully it will get better from here, contrary to the last sentence. Hehehe...<strong>

**So, anyway, review replies!**

**kittehkitty2: That would be an epic duel-We should so collab on that! lol**

**someone: I've never been good at math... ;-) And just keep reading...hehehe**

**Wickedsong: Thanks! At first I was worried that what I had made him say would make no sense, but I'm glad you understand his reasoning. Thanks for reading!**

**Lauryn: lol...You don't write too much! Thanks a lot-That was a really nice review!**

**TheFlowerThatHealsEPlusR: I think it's graham. But still, hahahaha! Robert s'more!**

**Reverend Lovejoy: Awwww! I want to go! That would be so cool! And yeah, I agree with you. This Captain bashing can get a bit out of hand. But don't worry, things will get better (I know I keep saying that, but you'll see)!**

**sunnyprincessbird: I know! I love Enchanted Robert to death, and then when I thought of how I named this prince Robert, I was like, oh, my gosh! I just RUINED that name! Actually, the only reason I chose it in the first place was 'cause it rhymed with Snobbert...hehehe. And yes, his eyes ARE gorgeous! (Not Robert-Eugene! Oh, gosh, not Robert...Nooooo...)**

**PampleMousse07: BRAVE FOREVER! And yes, Robert-less chapters make me happy too. But he's got to be in there somewhere...Like in this chapter. Ugh. Go away, Robert!**

**fryingpanninja107: HOLY COW! You stopped TANGLED for THIS? Wow...I feel really special now...**

**Liz McCallus: Yes. Yes, you should. ;-)**

**TinySlippers: I'm sorry if it's confusing. Like I said to Reverend Lovejoy, the whole "Captain" issue will get better in just the next few chapters. In fact, the chapter after this next one, I think.**

**TangledGirlForever: DOGGIE PASCAL! That would be amazing...**

**Okey dokey. That just about covers it. Review review REVIEW! Sorry, that sounded a little bossy. _ Please_, review review REVIEW! The more I get, the quicker I update! I know...Evil, right?**

**More soon! Hopefully they'll be better than this chapter...Bleh...**

**;-)**

**-Sheep1215**


	17. Letting Go

**Hey, you guys!**

**Ok, so here's Chapter 17 of All That Really Mattered. Personally, I think this chapter is only so-so...I'm not all that happy with it. But I have good news! Remember how I was gone for a week a little while back? Well, while I was gone, I had this random bout of inspiration and ended up scribbling down this _whole section_ of the next chapter in a notebook! (I know...I'm so unorganized. :-P) But still, you can expect a relatively quick update because of that. Also, the next chapter, guess who makes an entrance! Let's just say...The "two old foes" are finally coming up...*evil laugh*. Heh. I'm looking forward to chapter 18.**

**Ok, so just a little bit to talk about before we begin.**

**Uh...I know I said 23 chapters, but I have a feeling it's going to be a bit longgerrrrrrr...Sorry! I just didn't realize how long these chapters are getting, and I want to stop them at good spots. Apperantly, my previous plans were a crazy mish-mash of junk...So it's going to be a little longer. Not epic saga longer, but I don't think I can do what I'm planning to do with only six more chapters. Well, now that I think about it, maybe I can...I'm not sure yet. Just a heads up in case it ends up being longer.**

**Oh, and I got my first fanart! EEP! Thanks so much to fryingpanninja107 (a.k.a. vitanilion) for drawing something for me! If you guys want to check it out, it's featured on my profile page. Also, thanks to everyone else who's talked about doing fanart for this story! If you guys upload it to deviantart and let me know about it, I'll be sure to look it up and put a link to it on my page!**

**Also on my profile page, two new stories in the works...If you want, you can check them out. Not Tangled though :-( But some of you might like them! You can look forward to those soon.**

**Finally, REVIEWS! You guys are the most amazing people on the planet, you know that? Yup. 375 reviews? I never imagined that this story would get that popular! Seriously. I'm about to cry. You guys are outstanding! Thank you all SO much! You don't know how much your reviews motivate me and make me feel glad about my work. Thanks to all of you, so much! (Review replies at the end!)**

**Alright, enough yapping. On with the less-than-impressive chapter! (Seriously...I think everyone's so OOC!)**

**Me: YAY! I got allergy stuff for Jerry! (Thanks, Kittehkitty2...again!) Now I can finally own Tan-**

**Wildebeast: MUNCH.**

**Me: ...**

**...**

**...**

**ARE YOU SERIOUS?**

**Looks like I still don't own Tangled...**

**Chapter Song: "It's Not Goodbye", by Laura Pausini**

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><p>Maybe it was just her imagination, but Rapunzel was sure that these castle hallways had gotten longer while she was gone.<p>

Or at least, that's what it felt like, practically drowning in her own anxiety.

She had made up her mind—She was going to tell her parents about Robert. After all, she had promised Eugene that she would try, at least. Besides, Eugene was right; even if her parents couldn't do anything, it would still be better if they knew. Maybe then, they could make sure Robert kept his distance, or maybe, if they told the council about what he had done _now_, they would realize that this was going all too far and maybe it'd finally knock some sense into them. Either way, her parents deserved to know what was going on, before Robert pulled another stunt like that again and things just got worse.

On she walked, trying her best to calm the butterflies ricocheting furiously in her stomach. She felt so small in the huge hallway, and it still felt like Robert was watching her from the shadows with every step she took. Subconsciously, she began to quicken her pace, and let out a sigh of relief as she spotted the door that led to the Dining Hall. Now it would be just her, and her parents, and she could finally speak without worrying that anyone was listening…

Taking in one last deep breath, she put her hands on the double doors and heaved them open, turning to make sure they firmly shut behind her. She didn't want to risk anyone listening in.

"Good afternoon, Rapunzel," King Edward's voice came from behind her. "I trust you had a good visit?"

"Oh, yes, Daddy," Rapunzel nodded, turning back around to face her parents. "But, um, I actually—"

Suddenly, she froze.

Her parents weren't the only ones at the table.

Robert was there.

_Oh, gosh, no…_ Rapunzel could scarcely breathe as her eyes locked on his icy blue ones, which were staring right at her. They looked almost hungry…And she was pretty sure that wasn't because of the bowl of soup in front of him.

Rapunzel's mother noticed her hesitance, and her eyes flooded with concern. "Sweetheart, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I—I just…I—" Rapunzel just couldn't get her words together, and she quickly slipped into a seat before she called too much attention to herself. "I'm fine." However, she could still feel Robert's cold blue gaze on her, and she knew inside that she was _far _from _fine_.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother's apprehensive eyes still on her, and then, after a moment of hesitation, the queen took another sip of soup.

"It's hazelnut," King Edward smiled at his daughter, trying to lift her spirits. "The cooks made it special, just for you."

Rapunzel tried her best to smile, but even hazelnut soup couldn't cheer her up right now. She had been so close—_so close—_to getting the perfect opportunity to tell her parents about Robert, and yet, here he was, sitting _right across from her!_ Rapunzel glared angrily at the marshmallow-suited prince across the table, whose outfit was today striped a deep red and black. Rapunzel thought the colors matched his evil nature perfectly. Why did he have to ruin _everything_?

With a sigh of defeat, Rapunzel looked back down at her bowl of soup, taking her spoon and absentmindedly stirring the soup into a whirlpool. She wished she could just drown all her troubles in her bowl…all this Robert mess, Eugene being imprisoned, everything. She wished she could just wash it all away and be rid of it, but yet, it seemed like the only thing being drowned was _her_.

Eugene…She missed him already. She wondered if she could go back and visit him after lunch, though it was a bit of a long shot. Her parents probably wouldn't have a problem with it, but she had a feeling that the prison guards were getting sick of her by now. But still…She needed to see him! She needed him to wrap his arms around her…To tell her everything was going to be ok…It seemed like the only place Robert couldn't hurt her was when she was in Eugene's embrace.

So caught up in her thoughts, she barely noticed the awkward silence that had cloaked the whole table, and without even looking, she knew that all eyes were on her. Ceasing her stirring, she filled her spoon with a bit of soup, preparing to eat it so she wouldn't offend her parents. But just as she put the spoon to her lips, a wave of nausea swept over her, and with a sigh, she turned the spoon over and let the soup spill back into the bowl. She couldn't even _eat_ anymore…

"So, Princess," Robert's obnoxious voice penetrated Rapunzel's thoughts, and she gripped the spoon irritably. "Are you looking forward to the ball?"

_No,_ Rapunzel thought immediately, though she didn't _dare_ say it out loud.

"Oh, yes, Rapunzel," Queen Amelia spoke up. "I almost forgot! We have to start getting your dress ready, so—"

"I don't really want to go," Rapunzel said quietly, unable to look anyone in the eye.

"But, Rapunzel," King Edward's voice came from her left, "you _have_ to go. After all, you're representing the kingdom of Corona this year."

"But what about _you_?" Rapunzel looked towards her parents, shaking her head. "You're _King_ and _Queen_ of Corona! Don't _you_ represent the kingdom? You're the _monarchy_!"

Queen Amelia nodded. "True, honey, but it's customary for the newest heirs to represent the kingdom at balls like this."

"Which means," Robert eyed the princess with a sly smile, "we'll have the night all to ourselves, Princess…"

Rapunzel didn't like the sound of that.

She shook her head quickly. Wait—This didn't make sense! Her gaze snapped to Robert. "Wait a second! Wouldn't you represent Creepacuore, or whatever it's called? You _are_ prince of that _kingdom_, right?"

"_Crepacuore,_" Robert corrected. "And my _brother_ is heir there. Since I am betrothed to _you_, Princess, I am now the future king of Corona, and all that implies."

_King of Corona?_ Ok, now this was too much. Not only would Rapunzel have to marry this jerk, but he would also be in control of the _entire_ kingdom? Rapunzel could only imagine the turmoil that would follow…The horrible things that would happen in _her_ kingdom…To _her _people.

Was there no end to all this chaos?

Unable to take any more, Rapunzel quickly stood up. "I—I think I'm going to go back and see Eugene now."

"But, Rapunzel," concern flooded Queen Amelia's face once again, "you haven't even touched your food!"

"I'm not hungry," Rapunzel said quickly, whirling around and heading towards the door. She had to get away from all this…

"Sweetheart, wait," Rapunzel stopped in her tracks at the sound of her mother's voice, and she turned to see Queen Amelia rising to her feet. Approaching her daughter, the queen laid a gentle hand on the princess's shoulder. "I…I need to talk to you in private. Please, can you give me a moment?"

Rapunzel felt a flicker of hope inside of her. In private…That means they would be alone! If that was the case, this would be the perfect opportunity to tell her mother about Robert. "O—of course." She said quietly.

Queen Amelia nodded, and then she turned to face the two men at the table. "Please excuse us for just one second."

King Edward nodded, but Robert just sat there in stony silence, shooting daggers at the princess.

With a smile, Queen Amelia turned, rubbed her daughter's shoulder reassuringly, and pulled open the Dining Hall door, exiting with Rapunzel right at her side.

The two were silent as they walked down the hallway, and Rapunzel decided that, whatever her mother had to say, it had to be pretty important for her to want to talk to her alone like this. But it didn't matter why—In Rapunzel's case, the more secluded they were, the better. She didn't want the slightest chance that Robert could be listening in.

Finally, the Queen stopped at the doors that led to the royal library, and, with a sigh, she pulled the door open and walked in behind her daughter. Rapunzel took in a contented sigh…She had always loved this room. However, she wasn't here for reading, and her real reason for being here sent the butterflies fluttering within her once again. Nervously staring at the ground, she quickly settled into a chair, and her mother pulled another one close and sat down right across from her daughter. Swallowing, the princess looked up at her mother, and was surprised to see the depressed look in the queen's eyes. Had she already found out about Robert?

"Um, Mother?" Rapunzel mumbled. "There's actually…Well, there's something I need to tell you, too…"

Her mother gave her a comforting smile. "Well, would you like to tell me first?"

Hesitantly, Rapunzel shook her head. Not yet. She needed a moment. "No, no, you can go first. It's ok."

With one last curious look at Rapunzel, the queen let out a sigh, and then stared down at her hands, which were clasped together. "Rapunzel…I—I'm not sure how to tell you this…"

Immediately, a pang of fear struck Rapunzel, and her gaze snapped up to her mother. "Did—Did something happen?"

Queen Amelia sighed and looked away once again, and then shook her head. "It's not that something _happened_. Don't worry…It's just…Your father and I…" another sigh cut her off.

_Eugene._ Rapunzel thought suddenly. _His sentence_. _Oh, gosh, they—_ Rapunzel nearly leapt out of her seat. "What's going on? Is everyone ok? Did the council say what they were going to do to Eugene?"

"No, nothing like that," Queen Amelia reassured her, and with a sigh of relief, Rapunzel slumped back into her chair. However, her relief was short-lived, as she saw the troubled look on her mother's face was still evident. "But…That's just it, Rapunzel. Eugene."

Now Rapunzel was hopelessly confused. "What—What do you mean?"

Another sigh. "Dear, the way you've been acting lately…It—It's scaring us. Both your father, and myself. This…This obsessive behavior—"

"Obsessive behavior?" Rapunzel spoke up. "What _obsessive behavior_?"

"No, no, that wasn't the right word," Queen Amelia said quickly, but then she sighed once again. "But…Rapunzel, I just don't know how to put it…"

"I—I don't understand…" Rapunzel was still puzzled.

"Your behavior recently…in general," Queen Amelia explained. "I know you're under a lot of stress, but…sweetheart, this isn't healthy!"

"What's not healthy?" Now Rapunzel was getting slightly agitated. "Wanting to see the man I love? A man who's in prison for something he didn't do? What's wrong with that?"

"Rapunzel!" Queen Amelia's desperate tone surprised Rapunzel, who shrunk back in her seat. "Dear, you're not eating, when you're not with Eugene, you're locked up in your room, and almost every night when I walk past your room, you're in there screaming in your sleep!"

Rapunzel gasped in surprise. She knew that her sleep was usually plagued with nightmares, but she never knew that she was _screaming_ like that…

"Please, honey…" Queen Amelia gently took her daughter's hand, and her pleading eyes gazed into her daughter's. "Your father and I…We are _so_ worried about you."

Rapunzel swallowed, returning her mother's gaze.

"What do I do, then?" she asked quietly.

Queen Amelia looked down at the ground and took a deep breath. Rapunzel's heartbeat quickened—This wasn't looking good.

Finally, Queen Amelia raised her gaze and solemnly stared into her daughter's eyes.

"Rapunzel…" she said, her voice barely more than a pleading whisper. "I know you love Eugene. I know you would do _anything_ for him, and I know that…he means the world to you. I do. I know _he _loves _you_. Heck, he was willing to _die_ for you! There is no doubt in my mind that you two are meant for each other." Another sigh escaped her lips. "And—And you know that your father and I love Eugene, as well. He's like a son to us, and we would never wish anything bad on him. _Ever._ And sweetheart…You know we love _you_."

Rapunzel nodded, her heart still hammering loudly inside of her chest.

"But…" that one word made Rapunzel's breath catch in her throat, "it's because we love you that we have to say this. And, as much as it breaks my heart…" Queen Amelia shut her eyes and took a deep breath, and when she opened her jade green eyes once again, Rapunzel saw tears brimming within them. "Rapunzel…You have to let him go."

Everything in Rapunzel's body froze, and her eyes widened in shock, as if she hadn't heard her mother correctly. "Wh—What?" her voice came out a choked, breathless whisper. No…She couldn't have just said that…

"Rapunzel, honey, I'm so sorry it's come to this…" Queen Amelia apologized, the tears beginning to become more apparent in her eyes. "But look at what all this has been doing to you—"

"Mother, it's not Eugene!" Rapunzel cried out. "It's Robert! Why don't you make him go away, instead of—"

"Rapunzel, you _know_ we can't do that!"

"I thought you promised me you wouldn't stop trying!" Rapunzel's voice escalated as she rose from her seat, overcome with resentment. "I thought you told me that you would do everything you could to get us _out of this_!"

"You _know_ we've been trying!" Queen Amelia rose to her feet as well, her voice full of sorrow. "But you and I both know very well that it's not getting us anywhere!"

"Oh, and _this_ will?"

"Rapunzel!"

"No, no—Mother, how could you do this? How could you take me away from him?"

"_We can't lose you again!"_ Queen Amelia screamed, gripping her daughter's shoulders tearfully. Rapunzel froze as she saw the tears streaming down her mother's cheeks. "Rapunzel…We can't…_I _can't…"

A wave of sympathy washed over the young princess, but then it was swallowed by another, more overwhelming wave of sorrow. A whole flurry of emotions crashed inside of her, and she gripped her elbows tightly, unsure how to cope. Finally, her tearful eyes locked on her mother's, and her voice came out as a barely audible whisper.

"And I can't lose him."

Before her mother could reply, Rapunzel tore away, racing out of the library with tears streaming down her face. How could this be happening? How could her own _mother_ be taking her away from the one she loved? Why would she do something like that?

Why?

Why…did nothing make sense anymore?

O-O-O-O-O

_How much do you have to cry before you run out of tears?_

That one thought lingered in Rapunzel's mine as the salty tears streamed down her cheeks, plopping onto the pillow that she had clutched tightly in her arms. To her left, Pascal gazed sadly up at her, his yellow eyes gleaming with sympathy for his depressed best friend. Rapunzel was thankful for his company, and wished that she could express her gratitude, but she was too distraught to even talk right now…

_Let him go?_

Rapunzel couldn't even believe that her mother had suggested something like that…But the worst part was that the princess understood her reasoning. Now that she thought about it, the way she had been acting recently _was_ a bit scary. She hadn't been able to eat, and she barely even spoke to anyone anymore…

"Pascal," Rapunzel asked, surprised at how hoarse her voice sounded. "Do I really scream in my sleep?"

The chameleon gazed up at her with sad eyes, and then, after a moment of hesitation, nodded with a quiet croak.

"Oh, Mother…" Rapunzel sighed, staring down at her bed sheets in shock. She couldn't imagine how scared her parents were after seeing her in a state like that…

But still…How could she give up Eugene?

The answer was simple. _She couldn't._

With a sigh, Rapunzel fell backwards onto her bed, letting the pillows and sheets swallow her as she curled up amongst them. She felt so torn…She _couldn't_ give up Eugene, but to make her parents go through seeing their daughter like this? Maybe she could force herself to eat, or try to act cheerier when she was around them, but that still wouldn't control her nightmares and the screaming, or how depressed she really felt deep inside…

Oh, gosh…She felt so helpless…

Swallowing back another bout of tears, Rapunzel rose from her bed and walked over to her window, flinging back the shutters and sighing as the crisp spring breeze blew in through her window. Letting the cool air envelop her, she hesitantly stuck her foot out the window, and then followed with the other leg, settling down on the sloped rooftop just outside of the small opening. She took a deep breath as she stared down at the city below. The last time she had come out here, Eugene had still been with her…

Now look at how much had changed.

With a sigh, Rapunzel ran a hand over the golden locket still dangling from her neck. She wasn't one to sit back and watch…But what else could she do? Every time she had tried to step up and do something, it had ended in disaster. She had even contemplated helping Eugene break out of prison…But if they got caught, Rapunzel could only imagine the trouble that Eugene would be in. She winced as she remembered the scars from the lashings on his back. She couldn't risk something like that again…

"Oh, Eugene…" Rapunzel whispered, gazing off into the distance, searching for some hope she just couldn't seem to find. "I love you so much…"

_If you love something, let it go._

Rapunzel gasped as the phrase flashed through her mind, and she bit her lip, her thoughts racing. Would it be better to just…let him go?

_I can never let him go, _she thought, shaking her head. _But…_

She thought of her parents, and all that they had been through with her. They were truly, _genuinely_ scared for her. And the only way she could calm their fear was…

"Letting him go," Rapunzel breathed out the words in a breathless whisper. "But…I—I can't!"

Rapunzel dropped her face into her hands, letting the tears flow freely once again.

"I can't let him go…" her whole body shook with sobs as she spoke.

But…She had to.

Eventually, she would _have_ to let him go. She would have to accept the fact that they could never be together, and go on with her life…No matter how heartbreaking it was.

And maybe now was the time.

"No," Rapunzel shook her head. They could stop her from seeing him…They could force them to be apart…But she knew that never, _ever_, would she stop loving him.

_Never._

And there, in that moment, she made a promise to herself. No matter what happened, she would _never_ stop loving him.

And when she made a promise, she never, _ever_, broke that promise.

_Ever._

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh...OOC!<strong>

**But there's a _reason_ I'm not letting Rapunzel see Eugene...Don't worry. I'm not _that_ mean to do it for no reason. Ok, you probably think I am, seeing as I am the creator of Robert...Ew.**

**So, review replies!**

**Also, a little notice: If you don't get a reply, it's not that I don't love you! Hee hee...I appreciate every single one of you guys' reviews, but sometimes I have too many, and sometimes, if it's just a short little blurb or not really a question, I don't have anything to say to it. But I read all of your reviews and appreciate every single one of them more than I can explain. Thanks to all of you! Just to clear things up...**

**So here we go:**

**oO Gabgalrox Oo: LOL! I am actually anti-Glee (I'm weird like that) but that quote caught me so off-guard, it was HILARIOUS! I would be worried about that kitty cat though, with Robert...Also, thanks for all the reviews! Sorry I didn't reply last time!**

**fryingpanninja107****: Yup! Robert's handwriting was cursive. And evil. Not sure if that's possible, but, hey, with him...And never doubt that you can hate him more. He's Robert, after all. :-) Awww...And thanks! Also, thanks for the fanart! Made me so happy...**

**TheFlowerThatHealsEPlusR****: LOL! That review made me laugh so hard...And I've had Robert called a pig, but not a cow...Hehehe...**

**xStarXstruckx****: Awwww! I'm sorry about that Rapunzel thing :-( That would be _amazing_ though...And thanks!**

**kittehkitty2****: Uh...You wouldn't happen to have wildebeast repellant, would you? ;-) And thanks for complimenting my "bleh"...Hehehe...I'm really looking forward to more "As Flowers Bloom and Fade"! I've been hoping for updates every day...I'm really sorry you're lacking inspiration. But I hope to see more soon! I just _have_ to know what happens!**

**ice23hot****: Ha! Don't worry...I understand. I'm glad I was able to make a good antagonist as an OC...I was afraid everyone would be like, "grrr, why aren't you sticking with the original villians?" Glad you guys like/hate him, though. ;-)**

**PampleMousse07****: Between you and me, I'm trying to fit something like that in here...Oh, and I LOVE your profile picture! One of my favorite little cutesy moments in the film! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for that image but I can't find it! Would you mind telling me where you got it from? Thanks.**

**someone****: I'm scared now...lol**

**sunnydayz56****: Robert's #1 enemy, huh? *Salutes* Impressive. And yes, that does sound shudder-worthy.**

**Reverend Lovejoy****: Thanks for the compliment. Don't worry, I took it the right way. :-) Like I said, I'm glad I was able to come up with a hateable original antagonist. As for the whole Captain thing, that's actually next chapter! Just hang tight! I hope you like it! ;-)**

**dannybird22****: So true...Even thought spitting just disgusts me. Lol. Well, how do you feel about this turn of events?**

**sunnyprincessbird****: I think the word is eeeeeeeeevvvvvvvviiiiiillllll...lol. And yes, the queen took her back up there. In my mind, I'm sure one of the guards helped her carry Rapunzel, but you'll see in one of the first paragraphs that Rapunzel realized that she was carried back up there. Sorry if it was confusing.**

**Wickedsong****: All the council members were so dumb they failed math. Jk...But still. You know how they are...**

**edger230****: CHOCOLATE! Yes...I'll keep that in mind. Thanks! :-)**

**Samse****: Hee hee hee! I'm not going to do that, because then I think I'll have to change it to a crossover, but that's a really cute idea! I like it!**

**TangledGirlForever****: You said piglet and I'm over here thinking Piglet from Winnie the Pooh. NOT! hehehe...**

**That just about does it! Sorry if this chapter wasn't that good...More soon!**


	18. The Boys

**Hey, everyone!**

**Ok, once again, I'm sorry it took so long to update! There was a reason to that...And that was, DUM DIDDLY DUM! All thanks to MUSIC. Lol...Someone mentioned that I forgot to put a chapter song on the last chapter (of which I am putting up right after I upload this chapter!) and so every time I sat down to write, I would go crazy searching for a song for this chapter _and_ the last one...And then forget to write. But don't worry-I FINALLY found some songs that worked!**

**Hehehe...But I'm actually pretty pleased with this chapter. To me, there are a few parts that seem just a tad OOC, but you know, that might be just me being judgemental of myself. :-) Let me know if you see any errors, though.**

**OH. MY. WORDS-CAN'T-EVEN-EXPRESS-HOW-AMAZED-I-AM-AT-THIS-GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! OVER 400 REVIEWS! Seriously...I can't tell you how grateful I am to all of you guys! To be completely honest, I never, _ever_ thought this story would become this popular! You guys have been _incredibly_ motivational to me, and without all of your reviews, this story probably would have never become what it has. So thank you all, SOOO much. Review replies at the end! There were so many reivews to the last chapter, I'm sure there's going to be plenty. ;-)**

**And FANART! I'd like to thank fryingpanninja107 and Silverbellsb for drawing up the very first fanart for this story! Want to see them? The links are up on my profile page! Thanks SO much, you guys!**

**Oh, and by the way, I am 99% sure that this will be longer than 23 chapters...I really need to work on my o****rganizational skills!**

**So, without further ado, here's chapter 18!**

**Oh my gosh. This is going to be the most epic plan to own Tangled ever! Let me check my supplies.**

**B.B. gun, ammo, allergy relief (thanks to kittehkitty2 for the donation!) a taser, a mind-control laser, a ninja costume, an invisibility cloak, a bunch of bananas, red velvet cupcakes, 2 lbs. of kumquats, 3 paperclips, 12 bottles of silly string, a grapling hook, and a tranquilizer gun (Also thanks to LittleMissMia123 for _that_ generous donation!)! So let's get this party STARTED!**

**Step 1: Put on ninja costume, use paperclips to permenantly attach invisibility cloak to oneself, use the grappling hook to climb up to the roof of Walt Disney Studios, and then open the skylight over Jerry's desk.**

**Step 2: Drop kumquats from skylight accompanied with allergy relief. If Jerry looks up, shoot him with tranquilizer gun, knocking him out. **

**Step 3: Once Jerry is distracted/knocked out, use all the silly string to make a silly string rope and climb down from the skylight. Use the B.B. gun and ammo to shoot out all of the security cameras and other security devices. Once ammo is gone and security is destroyed, enter the Disney Film Document Room.**

**Step 4: Use bunch of bananas to lure hidden monkey in the Disney Studios ceiling down so he can lift the glass case off of the document without leaving fingerprints. Take the Tangled document and RUN!**

**Step 5: Taze any employees that you may run into along the way, and then, run into a whole herd of...wildebeasts. Use the mind-control laser to teach them how to dougie and then run past while they dance, finally freeing yourself from Disney property!**

**Step 6: Once free from from the property, indulge yourself in the red velvet cupcakes while opening the Tangled document, AAAAAAAANNNNNNNDDDDD...**

**"Attention, reader. This is not the actual Tangled document. Currently, the Tangled ownership rights are at the dry cleaners, and-"**

**WHAT?**

**WHO DRY CLEANS DOCUMENTS? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!**

**Lol...Sorry...That was a bit much. ;-) But that just proves I don't own Tangled. :'-(**

**Ok, this chapter song is "Incomplete" by the Backstreet Boys. I know, it used to be something different, but I actually stumbled upon this beautiful song and it was PERFECT for what Eugene is feeling. Also, this is now officially my favorite song. :-)**

* * *

><p>Daniel Grant could scarcely remember a time in his life where he had regretted a decision he had made.<p>

Until now.

For years, he had been a trusted, respected royal official. The Captain of the Guard, for crying out loud! Even in his rookie years as a royal guard of Corona, Daniel had always put his best foot forward when it came to his work. Now, he had made it all the way to the top—A career that many other men would _die_ for, and a reputable reputation to match. And the Captain knew exactly why: All his decisions were smart. Thought through. Reliable. To the rest of the men on his crew, his word was _law_. And since his decisions were that well-respected, Daniel felt it was his responsibility to make honorable decisions…Those worthy of a Captain.

_And a bribe,_ Daniel thought, staring disgustedly down at his fist, where he knew that wretched bag of coins was clenched, _is _not_ worthy of a Captain_.

It didn't matter what that prince had said. There was no doubt in Daniel's mind that that so-called "exchange" had been nothing more than a flat-out, plain-as-day bribe. A _bribe_, of all things!

Daniel sighed, propping his feet up on a nearby table and staring guiltily at the little brown sack of coins in his palm. Prince…Richard? Ron? Rob—Robert—Yes, _that_ was his name, Robert—had basically hired the Captain to do his dirty work for him. Granted, the job had been his pleasure—torturing his worst foe, for goodness sakes—but yet, that feeling of guilt still gnawed away at Daniel. He had tried to hide the coins and forget about them, contemplated giving them back, and then finally decided he was going to donate them towards a worthy cause, but still, he could _not_ shake that guilt. He just couldn't…

Frustrated, Daniel flung the bag of coins onto the table and sighed as he rose from his chair, leaning his head against the cold brick wall. His eyes wandered around his dimly candlelit Captain's quarters, and subconsciously, his gaze fell on the black whip hanging curled on a hook in the wall. His eyes scanned the rarely used torture device, and Daniel could still see the spots of dried blood speckled along the whip.

Rider's blood.

The incident from a few days ago flooded Daniel's mind, and a sly smile spread across his face as Rider's cries of pain echoed in his head. But, as quickly as it had come, the Captain's smile disappeared, and an overwhelming wave of guilt washed over him once again. Daniel silently cursed himself, gritting his teeth. He was feeling guilty…over a criminal?

No. This was ridiculous. There was no need for Daniel to feel guilty—Rider deserved every lash of that whip. In fact, Daniel thought he had deserved even more. No, that filthy, disgusting thief deserved one thing for sure: Death. And the more Daniel thought about it, the more he realized that, if one of his men hadn't stopped him when he had, Daniel probably _would_ have killed Rider…

And if that was what he wanted…Then why did the Captain still feel so…guilty?

It was the bribe. It _had_ to be. There was no way Daniel felt bad for giving a guilty criminal exactly what he deserved, and especially Rider, of all people. For years, Daniel had been chasing down the wanted thief, and even when he had finally been caught, Rider had managed to escape—by the craziest means, Daniel added—and then, to everyone's surprise, he had returned…with none other than the lost princess, of all people! And then—Oh, and this was the best part—the two of them had fallen in _love_! There was no end to Rider's surprises…That was for sure.

But something seemed just too fishy to Daniel. After all, being Captain of the Guard for so many years, he knew criminals well enough to know that they didn't just magically become good guys overnight. "Once a thief, always a thief," he always said. And Rider had proven that statement just about a week and a half ago, when he had stolen the princess's crown. _Again_.

But this time, Rider hadn't gotten away with it. Daniel hoped, the next time he got any ideas, he would remember those scars on his back. _That_ ought to teach that wretched thief.

But still, a feeling of sympathy gripped at his heart as he remembered the princess's reaction to it all…He actually felt sorry for the young woman; she genuinely loved Rider, and he had pretended to love her back. But obviously, it had all been a trick to get the crown once again…And the poor princess had been oblivious to it the whole time.

Once a thief, always a thief.

But…If that was the case, one thing didn't make sense. The princess still visited Rider's cell—or, she _used to_, at least…Her last visit had been about five days ago—but still, that wasn't the point. The point was, obviously the princess still had _some_ kind of love for him, despite what he had done. And on occasion, Daniel had happened to pass Rider's cell during one of the princess's visits. The way that the thief looked at her…Could it be…he truly loved her too?

"No," Daniel muttered out loud, moving from his position against the wall and slumping into a nearby chair. "That's ridiculous. It was only for the crown. If he really loved her, why would he have taken it?"

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.

_Maybe Rider didn't take the crown._

Ok, that was the most ludicrous notion yet. Of course Rider took the crown! What, could he be telling the…truth?

The truth.

As soon as one of the men—Berkley, Daniel believed—as soon as Berkley had found Rider out on the streets and saw that crown tumble out of his satchel, he had dragged him immediately back to the castle, rounding up some other stray guards along the way…One of those men being the Captain. And all the way back to the castle, Rider had been raving about all of this being some kind of misunderstanding…And as soon as they had returned to the castle, the princess had explained it as some kind of mistake too…Perhaps…Just maybe…

_No, _Daniel thought firmly, gritting his teeth. This mental argument was getting _really_ tiring. Rider didn't even know the _meaning_ of the word truth. He had lied so much during all of his years of larceny, so why should Daniel trust him now?

_The princess trusts him._

_Love is blind_, Daniel thought quickly. Princess Rapunzel was so in love with Rider, she was oblivious to all of his deception. In fact, she loved the thief so much, Daniel was certain she'd be willing to lie for him. Granted, the princess was a very trustworthy person…But she loved him enough to do _anything_ for him, right? Even lie. And the Captain was ninety-nine percent sure that was _exactly_ what that little story she had told them was. A lie.

_There's still that one percent._

"Shut _up_," Daniel snarled under his breath, wishing that little voice in his head would just disappear. With a sigh, he dropped his head into his hands. Great. Now he was talking to himself. This whole business with Rider was apparently driving him insane. But why? Why couldn't he just brush this off as a normal part of business? After all, tons of criminals occupied those cells. Why was Rider any different?

Maybe it was that sliver of a chance that Rider was…innocent.

And Daniel imprisoned, whipped, and spat on an innocent man.

What kind of man would he be if that were the case?

_If that were the case,_ Daniel argued mentally, _which it's not. Rules are, a person is innocent until proven guilty. And Rider _has_ been proven guilty. The evidence was all there—He had the crown! And even if this _was_ a misunderstanding—_Daniel quickly shook his head—_which it's _not_, he still deserved to pay for all those crimes he'd committed in the past, right?_

For a moment, the opposing voice in his head gave no reply, and Daniel smiled, sure that he had finally silenced that little voice in his mind. Suddenly, it came back again, and Daniel rolled his eyes with an angered groan.

_And in the event that this _is_ a misunderstanding, which it very possibly may be, Rider has obviously shown that he's reformed. And you, Captain Grant, were willing to whip a reformed man to death. How does that make you feel?_

"He's not—Rider—He—" Daniel stuttered out loud, and then let out a sigh, quieting his voice so someone wouldn't overhear outside of the door of his quarters. "But I didn't, ok? As much as I hate it, Rider's still alive. There, happy?"

_But he'll always have those scars, innocent or no, _the voice persisted. _And you're the one to blame._

Daniel had no reply to that.

The Captain sat silently for a moment, both arguing voices in his head quiet, for now. The guilt still enveloped him, though. Coursing through his veins, lingering in his mind…

_But that's not fair,_ his anti-Rider voice finally spoke up, _I was just doing my job! Isn't that what my duty as Captain is? To capture and watch over convicted criminals and punish them if necessary?_

_If necessary,_ the other voice replied. _Was it necessary to whip Rider senseless? I don't see why—_

"Fine!" Daniel finally threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "You win!" Leaning forwards in the chair and rubbing his face roughly, he let out another sigh. Ok, so it wasn't completely right for him to whip Rider the way he did—especially because of a _bribe_. Ok. He'd figured that out now. But still…What could he do about it now? The deed was done.

_You could apologize_.

"What?" Daniel growled out loud. Apologize? To _Rider_? _Never._ If anything, the thief should be apologizing to _him_, not the other way around. No. This was preposterous. The voice could make him admit his mistakes…It could make him feel guilty about what he did…But never, _ever_, could it make him apologize to—

Suddenly, Daniel's thoughts were interrupted as the door to his quarters was flung open, and one of his men stood in the doorway, heaving breaths as his troubled eyes locked on the Captain's.

"What do you want, Webber?" Daniel asked, a bit more forcefully then he had intended.

"Captain Grant," Webber panted, swallowing to catch his breath. "They're—They—"

Daniel rose to his feet, narrowing his eyes. "I don't have time for this, Webber! What's going on?"

Finally, Webber took one last deep breath and finally put out a comprehendible announcement.

"The Stabbingtons…They're _gone_!"

O-O-O-O-O

Eugene couldn't breathe.

Well, that wasn't completely true. It wasn't like something was choking him or anything. His lungs were completely functional, and technically, he could breathe just fine.

So why did he feel like all the air had suddenly been ripped away from him?

He knew exactly why: Rapunzel.

It had been five days. _Five days_ since he had last seen her. _Five_ _days_ since she had come to his cell near tears and informed him that that would be her last visit. _Five days_ since he had seen those beautiful, shimmering green eyes, or since he had kissed that precious, precious girl. Five days.

It felt like a lifetime.

The memories of that final visit were engraved in his mind. He remembered Rapunzel coming in for the second time that day, tears brimming her jade green eyes, which were usually filled with joy at the sight of the young man. Eugene, being immediately concerned, had asked her what was wrong, and she had tearfully explained that her parents were worried about her. Worried about _them_. That…they couldn't be together anymore.

It felt like Eugene's heart had been painfully ripped in two.

Rapunzel had explained the whole thing: Her depressed behavior, the whole fiasco with the Royal Majesties' ball, Robert's attitude at the table, and her mother's tearful plea to let Eugene go, for Rapunzel's own good.

And no matter how much Rapunzel hated it, she was required to respect her parents' wishes.

Eugene didn't know what to feel. Surprisingly, he wasn't mad at the King and Queen. He understood the trouble they must be going through as parents, and, if Rapunzel was acting as despondent as she had described, Eugene could see where they would be worried. But still, even though he wasn't angry at _them_, it didn't mean he wasn't angry with this whole situation. That final visit in the cell, every fiber of his being was _screaming_ at him to object and beg her not to leave, but he knew he couldn't do that. What's done was done. And besides, it was for Rapunzel's own good…And that was the most important thing, no matter how heartbroken it left him.

She was all that really mattered.

Eugene was thankful that their visit was not cut short, for once. The King and Queen had allowed Rapunzel to stay as long as she needed to so she could say her goodbyes. She stayed there for hours…and Eugene was grateful for every second he had left with that beautiful, beautiful girl.

Eventually, the sun had set and dusk had come in, and yet, Rapunzel had stayed, cradled in Eugene's arms. As the moon rose higher and higher in the sky and night had enveloped the kingdom, Eugene could tell Rapunzel was beginning to tire. But still, she refused to leave his side. She was going to stay as long as she could.

Finally, just when sleep was about to overtake her, she had nestled in close to his chest and he had wrapped his arms around her, holding her tighter than he had ever held her before. He couldn't let go…

What she had said to him were words he would never forget.

"Eugene," she had whispered, her voice quavering as she knew their time together was coming to an end, "even if I can never come down here again…Even if I can never hug you again…Even if I never, _ever_ see your face again…Know that I will never let you go. I will always, _always_ love you."

Before Eugene knew it, a rouge tear was slipping down his cheek, and he had quickly wiped it away. He needed to be strong. For her.

"And I'll always love you, Blondie," he had replied, rubbing her back gently. "As long as I live. No matter what happens."

And then…the kiss.

In that one kiss, a whole flood of emotions crashed inside of Eugene, knowing that this kiss would most likely be his last with her. So they made it count. They made it last. They made that kiss unforgettable…

But everything must come to an end.

Rapunzel had fallen asleep in his arms that night, and Eugene was near sleep himself by the time someone had come in to retrieve the princess. The King and Queen were both there, and Eugene remembered their sorrowful eyes on him as he whispered his last goodbyes to the sleeping princess.

"I love you, Blondie," he had whispered, gently holding her hand. "No matter what. Stay safe…I miss you already."

Eugene thought he had seen the princess smile in her sleep.

With one last kiss on her forehead, Eugene had spoken the words he had been dreading to say the whole visit.

"Goodbye, Rapunzel."

Eugene was silent as one of the guards came in and gently took the sleeping princess in his arms, and then, with one last look at the accused criminal, carried Rapunzel from the cell. As he shut the bars behind him, Eugene could still spot the King and Queen gazing sadly into his cell, and Eugene thought he saw the Queen's lips move, though her voice was a near inaudible whisper. But still, the young man caught what she said.

"We're so sorry, Eugene."

One last silent gaze was exchanged between the royals and the prisoner, and then, the King and Queen turned and followed after the guard carrying their daughter.

That was the last time he had seen her.

The mere memory made Eugene misty-eyed, but he shook his head, refusing to cry. What good would tears do? It wouldn't bring her back…And he had done more crying through this whole entire arranged marriage disaster than he cared to discuss. Enough was enough.

But still…He had just lost _everything_ that meant something to him.

"Oh, Blondie…" he whispered, "…Gosh, I hope you're doing ok…"

He sure hoped she was at least doing better than _he_ was…Everything inside of him was mess right then.

Finally, Eugene closed his eyes and just tried not to think about it. But really, what else was there to think about? Even when he tried to clear his head, the only thing that came to his mind was Rapunzel and Robert…

Eugene's eyes flew open. Robert. Had Rapunzel told her parents about him? Now that he thought about it, she hadn't mentioned it during her last visit…Oh, gosh…He really hoped that she had told the King and Queen. She didn't deserve to be treated like that any longer.

Great. Now that was _another_ thing to worry about. Ugh…He was torturing himself with all this chaos! Once again, Eugene closed his eyes, deciding that it would probably just be best to go to sleep. After all, it was late, and maybe then, he could just stop worrying about all of this—

"Collins! Schultz!"

Eugene's eyes flew open for the second time as the sudden, gruff voice broke through the silence, and he stared through the bars of his cell as the Captain himself and another guard he didn't recognize ran up to the two guards—Collins and Schultz, apparently—stationed outside of Eugene's cell.

Immediately, the two men stood at attention in the presence of their Captain, and Eugene thought he saw the Captain shoot an angry, "mind-your-own-business" glare in his direction. Eugene looked away, but still, he was listening in closely to their conversation. What the heck was going on?

"The boys are gone," the Captain said in a stern, hushed voice. "You haven't seen them, have you?"

"N—No sir," one of the guards replied. "But, aren't they on the second story of the prisons? Why would we—"

"Why do you think?" the Captain said brusquely, and out of the corner of his eye, Eugene saw the Captain gesture towards him. The Captain quieted his voice even more, and Eugene had to strain to listen. "Rider hasn't done anything…_unusual_, recently, has he?"

"No sir," the other guard shook his head. "In fact, he hasn't done much of anything all day. He's just been sitting there in that corner."

"Well, if that's the case, then we can spare one of you," the Captain's gaze snapped to the guard on his left. "Schultz, come with us. We need to get a search party out right away, before those brutes cause any _more_ trouble."

Eugene barely noticed as Schultz obeyed with a nod and left his post, following after the Captain and the other, unfamiliar guard. Instead, he was lost in his thoughts, trying to piece it all together. One of the prisoners had escaped? No, two. That's right…They had said the_ boys…_But still, what did Eugene have to do with any of this?

Unless…

No.

It couldn't be.

But then, the remaining guard, Collins, muttered something to himself that verified Eugene's worst fears.

"Honestly…Of all the prisoners to escape, why did it have to be the _Stabbingtons_?"

"Stabbingtons?" Eugene gasped out loud. No…No, it couldn't be! Anyone but them! If they escaped, Eugene knew they were after only one thing…_Him._ Or worse…

_Rapunzel._

"No!" Eugene quickly pulled himself up to his feet and rushed over to the bars of his cell. He had to do something about this! As soon as he desperately gripped the bars, the remaining guard, Collins, whirled around to face him. "Please, you've got to let me out of here!"

Collins shot him an angry glare. "What, so you can get out there and wreak havoc too? I don't think so, Rider. You're not going anywhere."

"Look, the _princess _is in _danger_!" Eugene stressed. "I'm the only one who knows enough about the Stabbingtons to know how they work. I…" he sighed guiltily, "I spent enough time with them to know. You've got to let me out, or Rapunzel—"

"We've got a team of trained professionals heading out right now, Rider," Collins's angry glare didn't waver. "I think they know how to do their job just _fine_. Besides…They caught _you_, didn't they?"

"But this is different!" Eugene persisted, feeling like every second that ticked away was a second closer to the Stabbingtons reaching Rapunzel. "Sure, you might catch the brothers, but who knows what they could do in the meantime? They could…" Eugene trailed off, not wanting to think about that right then.

However, Collins took Eugene's sudden silence as something totally different, and he chuckled. "You can't even think of anything, can you?"

Finally, Eugene couldn't take being refused anymore. "How about _kill your princess_?"

Both Collins and Eugene fell silent, and Eugene was _pleading_ inside his mind that this would finally make Collins come to his senses…

Collins finally shook his head. "There's no way they could do that. The castle is too heavily guarded—"

"The ball," Eugene said suddenly. It was all coming together now. "The ball's not in Corona, so that means the guards down there aren't going to know about the Stabbingtons…And that would be the perfect opportunity to—"

"And why, Rider, would they be after the _princess_, of all things?" Collins asked.

Eugene looked down at the ground, guilt overwhelming him.

"Because…Because of me."

For a second, Collins looked like he was going to comply with Eugene's plea, but then he just turned away from Eugene.

"All the more reason for me not to let you out, then."

"What?" Eugene gasped. He was _sure_ he had been _so _close…Now the fear was beginning to consume him. What about Rapunzel? "Do you not understand? Your princess is in _danger_!"

Collins didn't reply, now ignoring the accused criminal.

Finally, with one last aggravated sigh, Eugene abandoned the rebuffing guard and rushed over to his small, barred window. He couldn't just let something happen to Rapunzel! He couldn't just stand here…There had to be some kind of escape!

"If you even make _one_ attempt at escaping," Collins seemed to read his mind, "you can kiss your life goodbye."

At the sound of Collins's words, Eugene's last moments with Rapunzel flashed in his mind. Rapunzel _was_ his life…His world…and if anything happened to her…Oh, gosh, he didn't think he could bear it. Suddenly, their last, wonderful kiss together flooded his thoughts. Kiss his life goodbye…Eugene let out a sorrowful sigh.

_I…_ _I already did._

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah...So, looks like there's trouble ahead! I'm not sure if the next chapter is going to be really long, or really short. One of the two...But things are really about to heat up.<strong>

**So, anyway, review replies!**

**kittehkitty2: I hope u got my message! :-)**

**fryingpanninja107: You're _crying? _Eep! I'm sorry...I think. Is that good or bad? But thanks for the fanart, and the review! And yeah...It was sort of a short chapter. This one was a bit longer though! And also, OOC means out of character (which I hope my characters aren't!). But thanks for the compliments! :-)**

**Starship Ranger: I'm glad you found it realistic-I was afraid it would be maybe too out of character or out of the blue. Glad you liked it!**

**Phantoms and Angels: Nope! Don't mind at all! ;-)**

**TheFlowerThatHealsEPlusR: I love the song "Hero", by Skillet! I haven't heard "Comatose," but I think I'm going to listen to it, seeing as I'm in desperate need for chapter songs! Thanks! And I made you cry too? Awwwwww!**

**twihardandveryobsessed: Thanks! I was worried that it would be too long...It's good that you guys are enjoying it! And more tears! I seriously don't know if this is good or bad...hehehe...**

**BornAverage: That was evil in the most awesome way! :-)**

**Reverand Lovejoy: Thanks! And I hope you enjoyed the first part of this chapter. More is going to happen, too...So don't worry.**

**EdwardBellaandSasuSaku4Eva: Awww! I'm glad you're happy about the length, too...I just don't want to drag it out, but it seems like I'm getting some good feedback about it being longer. Thanks!**

**sunnyprincessbird: I'd pick gorgeous over evil any day! lol**

**dannybird22: Aw, thanks! And I ADORE the song Stereo Love.**

**Silverbellsb: Thanks SO much for the fanart! I loved it SO much! And I _wish_ I could get 1000 reviews! That would be the _best_ day of my _life_! Thanks!**

**RadosianStar: Here they are, but don't worry-They'll be in person very soon!**

**An Unknown Foreign Beauty: Thanks so much! And I understand what you're saying about antagonists. I enjoy writing for Robert sometimes cause he's just so EVIL! But still, I hate it just as well sometimes...hehehe...And if you really look at it, it's not Robert that's powerful-It's the council, refusing to change their decision. But Robert still thinks he's the most powerful guy on earth. Heh, or so he _thinks_. Anyway, thanks for the compliments, especially about my DA work! I saw your Pocahontas picture and you're really good! If only you could draw Punzi or Flynn...Hey, maybe you can draw Robert! Lol...**

**MissMia123:**** Eep! 3 TIMES? I apologize for making you cry, but I'm honored that my story was able to make you do that! Oh, and thanks for all the supplies...Hehehe!**

**Wickedsong:**** Lol! That thing about Pascal adapting the power of speech made me literally laugh out loud...But I'm glad you still liked the chapter-Sorry about all the emotional chaos! I guess it's sort of good that my writing can make me provoke emotions but still it makes me feel a little guilty for making people cry... ;-)**

**:**** OMG, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS! That is one of my _favorite _book series...And, you're right, it _does_ sort of remind me of Count Olaf! But I think you'll see a few differences in the next few chapters...Glad you're enjoying the story, though!**

**TangledGirlForever:**** Awwww, thank you! And I really appreciate the chapter songs-You don't know how much I've needed those. I'll be sure to check them out! And no, I haven't seen My Future Boyfriend, but I've been _dying_ to! It sounds really good!**

**edger320:**** I'll be sure to keep that in mind everytime I play hangman...LOL! And btw, I _love_ your new profile picture! That's Toothless, right? TOOTHLESS! Ok, I'll be quiet now... ;-)**

**Lily WaterGates****: Lol...good plan. And ow, that sounds painful! (The Robert part, I mean...Gosh, I would hate to be him after all you guys have said about him!)**

**Ok, that just about covers it!**

**Sorry that this update took longer than expected...This week is going to be crazy so I'm not sure when I'm going to update next, but I'll try to do it as soon as possible!**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**Thanks for _everything_, you guys!**


	19. The Ball

**I'M ALIIIIIIIVVVVVVEEEEEE!**

**Seriously, you all probably thought I was dead, seeing as I haven't updated in FOREVER!**

**I'm _so_ sorry! I had this thing going on for the whole week (even Saturday) that by the time I got home and did all my other stuff, I had absolutely _no_ time to write...Either that, or I was lacking inspiration. Lol-Just Sunday I got on the computer, finished the first half of the chapter, wrote practically the whole thing, AAAAAAAANNNNNNNDDDD...Hated it. I had to erase the whole second half of the chapter and start all over again. After praying for inspiration, walking around the house reciting ideas to myself, and staying up uber late last night listening to music, I finally got it! Even now, it's not quite up to my standards (bleeeeehhhh) but it's still way better than it was and good enough to be posted. Besides, I've had you guys wait long enough, huh?**

**One advantage to this long update-less period, though: REVIEWS! REVIEWS, REVIEWS! Over 450? Seriously. You guys are the most incredible people on this planet. I wish I could just hug you all right now! But that would be weird. Well, then, VIRTUAL HUG! *Hugs, um...virtually* There. That works. Although you'll probably like my review replies better than a virtual hug. ;-)**

**Not much else to say...OH, WAIT! YES THERE IS! Fanart! The response to this has been EPIC! And now, I present you with two new fanarts: One by An Unknown Foreign Beauty and another by Kittehkitty2! Both of the links are up on my page for you to check them out. I would also like to thank my first two fanart contributors (fryingpanninja107 and Silverbellsb) whose art is also up on my page! Check them all out! They're awesome! *Magically aquires car saleman commercial voice* "And do _YOU _want your art to be posted on my profile? *Chuckles like a weirdo* _WELL, THEN! _Just upload your artwork to deviantART or another photo website, and let me know or send me the link!" (Many will enter...All will win.) Ha.**

**Enough rambling! I'm afraid you guys are going to whack me upside the head with frying pans if I don't hurry up and start the story. ;-)**

**"There's a place where dreams come true, a quite magical land**

**A land that's filled with handsome thieves and killer frying pans**

**But I can't go there-Yes, this fact makes my heart feel quite mangled**

**'Cause though I try,**** I still don't own ****THE WONDROUS WORLD OF TANGLED!"**

**Thank you...Thank you, hold your applause. :-)**

**Chapter Song: "Thinking of You" by Katy Perry**

* * *

><p>Today was the day.<p>

Rapunzel couldn't believe it was finally here. The Royal Majesties' Ball—Tonight. She had barely gotten a wink of sleep the night before, she had been so nervous. She thought that her first ball would be a joyous occasion, but instead, she was now dreading everything about it. Especially…Robert.

No doubt Robert would try to pull one of his "tricks" tonight. And this time, there would be no one that she trusted nearby to call on for help. Both her parents and Eugene would remain in Corona, while she and Robert went on to some random kingdom she'd never even _heard_ of for the ball. Though the other kingdom was not _that_ far from Corona, it still felt like the princess and the people she loved would be a million miles apart…The mere _thought_ made her anxious.

"Your majesty," a sudden voice interrupted her thoughts. "Would you mind lifting your arms just a little higher?"

"Oh, sorry. No, of course not," Rapunzel shook her head, raising her already-sore arms and snapping back to reality. Even though it was early in the day, the royal tailors were already finishing up on her ball gown. The gown was gorgeous to Rapunzel—Though not a flowery color like what she would usually wear, Rapunzel still liked the light silver hue of her dress and was thankful she wasn't going to end up wearing something dark. The bodice of her dress was laced in a criss-cross style with a darker silver ribbon, similar to the dress she had been wearing when she had first arrived at the castle. But the bottom was _totally_ different, her skirts blossoming out into a bell-shape of flowing fabrics. In between the creases of the skirt were what looked like silver tiles, reflecting off of the light in the room and shimmering beautifully whenever she moved. In short, the dress was positively breathtaking.

But Rapunzel couldn't even focus on the dazzling dress. Robert was the only thing that occupied her thoughts…and not in a good way.

"There," one of the tailors smiled, adjusting one last pin on the dress. "That should just about do it. What do you think, your highness?"

Rapunzel forced herself to smile, despite the forlorn feeling still gnawing away inside of her. Letting her tired arms drop to her side, she surveyed the beautiful dress in the mirror, twirling a bit so she could see the silver squares sparkle. She looked at Pascal, who was sitting quietly on her bed, and the chameleon gave her a little smile and a thumbs-up.

"It's perfect," she smiled as she finished twirling. "Thank you."

Another tailor sighed in relief. "Good. You look absolutely stunning, if I do say so myself. Now then. Will there be anything else that you might need?"

Rapunzel thought for a bit, just in case she was forgetting anything, but then she shook her head. She wasn't in the mood for having all these people in her room anyway. "No, that's fine. Thanks again…Honestly, it looks beautiful."

With an elegant bow, the tailor that had spoken flashed the princess one last smile and then turned and exited the room, all the other tailors trailing off behind him. As the tailors disappeared through the door, Queen Amelia appeared, smiling as she entered the room. At the sight of Rapunzel in the gown, she let out a gasp. "Oh, Rapunzel…" she gasped in awe. "You look absolutely beautiful."

Rapunzel smiled at the genuineness of her mother's compliment. "Thanks," she said quietly, placing her crown on her head and gazing at her reflection in the mirror.

Queen Amelia walked over to her daughter's side, putting an affectionate hand on her shoulder and gazing into the mirror along with her. Rapunzel was in shock at how alike they looked; same brunette hair, same jade green eyes…Even the same facial expression. It was almost as if Rapunzel was a younger version of her mother, and by the nostalgic look on her mother's face, it seemed that she was thinking that same thing too.

"I remember my first ball," Queen Amelia smiled. "I was about your age, and betrothed to your father. Granted, I wasn't as opposed to the arranged marriages as you are, but then again, I had never been in love before then…" she trailed off, looking as if she was reliving the moment in her mind. "I still remember what I wore, and what he looked like at that ball…It was that night that I _knew _I had finally found the one meant for me." She sighed, her reminiscent attitude fading into one of sorrow. "I just wish I could say the same for you, sweetheart."

Rapunzel sighed, staring down at her feet.

"Me too, Mother…Me too."

For a moment, neither one of them spoke, and the only movement between them was the gentle rubbing of Queen Amelia's hand on her daughter's shoulder. Finally, it was the queen who broke the silence.

"Rapunzel," she gazed curiously at the heart-shaped locket adorning her daughter's neck. "I don't remember getting that for you. Where did you get that? It's gorgeous."

"Oh," the princess said quietly, running her hand over the shining golden locket. "Um, Eugene gave it to me. The day we snuck out into the kingdom. It—It's the only thing I really have left of him…"

Again, silence filled the air as Rapunzel immersed herself in her thoughts once again. Oh, gosh…She missed Eugene _so _much…

Once again, her mother was the first person to break the silence, letting out a doleful sigh.

"I'm sorry, Rapunzel…For everything."

Rapunzel looked up into her mother's eyes. "Mother, don't be sorry. You didn't do anything—"

"Yes, I did," Queen Amelia cut her off. "I was the one who arranged this marriage in the first place. If I had picked someone else—"

"But you didn't _know_," Rapunzel pointed out. She felt so sorry for her mother—She was going through so much as well, and now she was blaming _herself_ for something that wasn't her fault at all…

"And Eugene," Queen Amelia continued. "It broke my heart to separate you two, but your father and I—We—we just _had_ to. We were just so worried…And I don't know about your father, but I just thought this would make things easier. I knew you would have to let go at _some_ point, and I just thought, if you did it now, it would give you time to recover…"

Rapunzel sighed, understanding her mother's reasoning. But deep down inside, she felt like she would _never_ recover…

"I—I'm sorry, Rapunzel," she apologized once again.

"No, no, I understand," Rapunzel reassured her. "I just…I'm just so nervous about tonight…About Robert…What he might do…"

"What he might _do_?" Queen Amelia repeated, confused. "What do you mean, honey?"

Suddenly, it occurred to Rapunzel that she had never gotten around to telling her mother about Robert, with all this chaos about Eugene and the ball going on for the past few days. Well, better late than never. As always when the topic came around, Rapunzel's stomach immediately became fluttery. What if she said the wrong thing? Wait. How could she say the _wrong thing_? She was just saying exactly what happened! Ok, this was getting ridiculous. Her mother had a right to know, and besides, she had promised Eugene that she would at least _try_.

_Ok, Rapunzel,_ _you can do this_, Rapunzel mentally coaxed herself.

"Um, Mother?" Rapunzel said quietly, wringing her hands and avoiding eye contact with her mother. "C—Can I tell you something?"

"Of course," Queen Amelia nodded. "Anything."

Rapunzel took in one last deep breath, mustering up all of her courage. Green eyes locked on green as Rapunzel finally was able to gaze at the queen, and she exhaled slowly.

"Mother…" Rapunzel began, "Robert—"

"_Princess!_"

_Oh, no, _Rapunzel gritted her teeth, shutting her eyes tightly at the sound of the obnoxiously familiar voice. _Not here…not now!_

But sure enough, when she opened her eyes, her heart plummeted into her stomach as she spotted Robert entering her room, the wide, toothy grin plastered on his face.

Rapunzel had always told herself his outfit couldn't get any more ridiculous.

She was _so_ wrong.

Gold and silver stripes lined his marshmallow outfit, which looked like its sleeves had been poofed out to nearly double their size. A white silk handkerchief-looking thing was stuffed into his collar, and Rapunzel thought it looked like a poor little duck was stuck in his suit and that was its tail. Just above that was a large, disc-like ruffled collar around his neck, making the prince's head look like it was sitting on a plate. The curved golden bars encasing his bulging crown were now studded with gemstones, as were the cuffs of his white gloves. A golden cape flowed from his back, but dragged across the ground longer than Rapunzel had ever seen it before. And to top it all off, a long, white feather flowed out from the top of the prince's striped crown. In short, the prince looked absolutely _preposterous_. She had to go to the ball…With _that_?

As soon as Robert caught sight of Rapunzel, his eyes widened. "My…Princess, you are a _sight_!"

The look on his face told Rapunzel that that was most likely _not_ a compliment.

"Hi, Robert," Rapunzel said quietly, looking away and trying to hide her clenched fists. Once again, she had been _so_ close…So close to _finally _telling her mother about Robert's stunts on that night…And once again, he had ruined _everything_!

Robert, apparently oblivious to all that he had just interrupted, strode into the room without even asking if he could come in. The pearly white grin plastered on his face, he walked over to Rapunzel, head held high, and took both of her hands in his icy-cold gloves. "Dearest, the carriage is ready out front. If we are to get to the kingdom of Dolus in good time, I suggest we head out now."

"But—" Rapunzel looked uneasily at her mother, and then back at Robert, whose grin seemed to falter just a bit at her hesitation. Leaving? _Already_? But she hadn't even gotten a chance to…Oh, what was the use? Rapunzel let out a defeated sigh. Arguing wasn't going to get her anywhere with Robert. "Alright," she muttered. "Let's go."

The grin returned fully to Robert's face, and he grasped one of Rapunzel's hands—a bit forcibly, Rapunzel noticed—and waved casually at the concerned queen behind him, though it looked more like he was brushing her off. As Robert led her towards the door, Rapunzel snatched up Pascal, hiding him in one of the creases of her skirt. She cast a forlorn glance over her shoulder at her mother. She had been _so close…_

Before anyone could say anything to protest, Robert had already escorted Rapunzel out of the room and shut the door behind her. Letting go of her hand, Robert grinned as he draped his gloved arm over Rapunzel's shoulder, and the princess couldn't help but shiver.

Robert, taking this the wrong way, moved in even closer to her. "Are you cold, Princess?" Before Rapunzel could reply, the prince embraced her tightly, and Rapunzel froze, her breath catching in her throat. "Don't worry," he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I'll keep you warm."

Rapunzel hoped Robert couldn't feel her heart thundering against him. She was petrified.

Finally, Robert let his arms fall, but Rapunzel still stayed frozen as the prince reached up and twirled a stray lock of her hair, letting his finger stroke her cheek.

"Oh, Princess," he smiled deviously. "This is going to be a night to remember."

Rapunzel's heartbeat quickened.

That's what she was afraid of.

O-O-O-O-O

Rapunzel had always pictured her first ball as a magical moment.

This was anything but magical.

From the moment they had gotten in the carriage, Rapunzel had known that the night was going to be a disaster. The whole ride was spent uncomfortably scrunched up in the corner of the carriage, legs painfully tucked underneath her, trying not to look into Robert's hungry blue eyes. By the time they had arrived at the castle, she had acquired a major headache due to the prince's nonstop yapping, mostly insults concerning her.

That was only the beginning.

Now she was reluctantly enveloped in Robert's arms, his icy hands around her waist as they twirled around the dance floor. She couldn't even focus on the beauty of the music, or the majestic, gorgeous ballroom of the Dolus Castle…Instead, the only thing she could focus on was Robert's hands, which she was constantly readjusting throughout the dance. Rapunzel tried to ignore the churning in her stomach as Robert grinned at her, raising an eyebrow. Oh, gosh, she was making her so uncomfortable. He had promised her a "reward" if she didn't embarrass him tonight. Well, he had embarrassed himself all on his own—Complaining about the refreshments and constantly making some crude remark about the ballroom itself, which, by the way, Rapunzel thought was absolutely breathtaking—but still, Robert's _reward_ didn't sound very tempting, the way he said it…

Rapunzel was surprised her heart hadn't _exploded_, considering how hard it had been pounding all that night.

The princess tried to make it look nonchalant as she stared down at her skirts, and she caught a peek of a fuming red Pascal nestled between one of the creases, clutching tightly on one of the shining silver squares. Rapunzel was thankful for his company, though she couldn't hold him for fear of Robert's reaction. She smiled softly down at him, hoping that would calm the little chameleon down a bit. The last thing she needed was Pascal getting angry, revealing himself, and Robert getting rid of him in some way. She had already lost one friend…She didn't need to lose another.

One friend.

_Eugene…_

Eugene was more than a friend. He was the love of her life…And it broke her heart to not be able to experience her first ball with _him_. Instead, she was stuck with a pompous prince who couldn't stop droning on about _himself_…

_And can't stop putting his hands where they don't belong,_ Rapunzel added, irritably shifting Robert's hands up for about the billionth time. She wanted to tell him to stop, but what good would it do? Heck, with him, it would probably end up making it worse. She didn't want to risk it. One thing was for sure, though.

Eugene would _never_ treat her like that.

So why couldn't anyone realize that he was the right one for her?

That was the problem. The council refused to look at who Eugene was _now_, and instead had their minds set on who he _used to be_. But he had _obviously_ changed! After all, he had brought her home, given up thieving, and he had even been willing to _die_ for her to be safe! That was proof enough for her parents, so why couldn't the council see the wonderful man that Eugene truly was?

They were stubborn. Ignorant. Maybe even a little scared. But one thing was for sure: it seemed like _nothing_ that happened to Rapunzel made any difference to them. She was _not_ going to end up with Eugene, no matter what Robert did. It was almost like she was a puppet, or a pawn in a game. They were all spectators, watching to see what would happen to the players, not really caring how _they_ felt about the situation. If only they would put themselves in her shoes—which, Rapunzel added, were unbearably uncomfortable on her feet that night…Robert had insisted she wear them—then they could see just how much torture she was going through, being ripped away from the one she truly loved.

Yeah…Like _that_ was ever going to happen.

Hopelessness flooding her for about the thousandth time that night, Rapunzel tried to think of Eugene himself. What was he doing? What was he thinking? He knew about the ball…was he worried about her? Maybe he felt downcast at the fact that he hadn't been able to escort her to the ball himself. Rapunzel knew all those feelings were crashing inside her, and it was nearly overwhelming. But at least she had Pascal…Eugene was all alone. And it seemed like the world hated him.

How could the whole world hate one man?

But that wasn't true. Rapunzel didn't hate him. Rapunzel loved him with everything she had, and she would give _anything_…_anything_ to be back in his arms…To be looking into his eyes…To be kissing his lips…

To be _his_.

But instead, here she was, stuck with a man who had no respect for her whatsoever. A man who thought he owned her, like she was some kind of _item_…It felt terrible.

And the worst part? There was no escape.

She was trapped.

Rapunzel tried her best to snap back to reality, but there wasn't much to come back to. The music was still playing, and she was still mechanically twirling around the dance floor, no rhythm in her soul whatsoever. Robert was still yapping on about something—crème brûlée, it sounded like—and the world still hadn't changed.

Eugene and she were still apart.

Right then, facing reality was the worst feeling in the world.

"Well, Princess," Robert's voice, for once, directed at her, jolted her out of her thoughts. "Can't say I'm having fun…But don't worry," Rapunzel held her breath as one of Robert's gloves reached up to caress her face. "I promise…Tonight, it'll get _much_ better."

The princess's heart twisted anxiously inside her chest. She was pretty sure Robert's definition of "much better" was vastly different from hers.

Due to the sudden nervousness flooding her body, Rapunzel stumbled, catching herself in the nick of time before she fell into Robert. Rapunzel's misstep caused Robert to glare disgustedly at her, and once again, his insults began.

"Dearest, this clumsiness has got to stop!" he scolded. "Honestly! A true princess should know how to dance…Do you _want_ to make us look bad?"

"Oh, believe me," Rapunzel mumbled under her breath. "You're doing a pretty good job of that already."

Robert's eyes narrowed as he glared at the princess, and then he rolled his eyes with a scoff. "And that's another thing, Princess. This _mumbling_!"

Rapunzel's wide eyes snapped to Robert. What did he say?

Robert didn't seem to get the message. "If there's one thing I can't stand about you—Well, there's many things, but—it's this _mumbling_! Honestly, has anyone told you how annoying that is? It's very unattractive! Just on and on, 'blah, blah, blah, blah'…"

Rapunzel froze, breaking away from Robert at his all-too-familiar words. Eyes wide and frozen with shock, she stood, trying to catch her breath as troubling memories flooded her mind. Oh, gosh…He sounded just like _Gothel…_

Robert, completely unaware of Rapunzel's captive past, stared at the princess with a puzzled expression.

"Princess, why did you stop—" suddenly, a look of irritation replaced the one of bewilderment, and he crankily crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "Oh…I get it! You're thinking about _Eugene_ again, aren't you?"

"What?" Rapunzel whispered, her gaze snapping towards the blonde-haired prince at the sound of her true love's name.

"Ugh, I knew it," Robert scoffed, shutting his eyes and arrogantly turning up his nose. "That's all you ever think about. That filthy, disgusting _thief_!" Robert chuckled, starting off on another one of his rants. "I heard the council hasn't decided his sentence yet. Well, I hope he hangs."

At the sound of that, Rapunzel froze, letting out a gasp as images of Eugene at the gallows flooded her mind. Her true love…Gone forever…

_No…no…_He did _not_ just say that! Rapunzel knew he was a jerk, but Robert had just gone _too far!_ Clenching her fists, Rapunzel's angered glare snapped to the prince, who was still rambling on. This was _too much_.

"Yep. The world would be a much better place with scum like him _dead_. Heh…Serves him right for stealing the princess's cr—"

That was it.

A rush of anger flooded through the princess, and she just couldn't take it anymore. Lunging forward, she thrust out her arms and shoved the unsuspecting prince backwards with as much force as she could muster. Robert, not expecting the sudden push, lost his balance and tumbled backwards with a yelp…

…Right into the refreshment table.

With a huge crash, Robert fell straight against the table, sending it toppling over, spilling everything on it. Hors d'oeuvres flew _everywhere_, as did the punch bowl, which flipped on top of the marshmallow-suited prince's head, drenching him completely in the red, fruit-topped liquid.

The whole ballroom froze with a simultaneous gasp. Even the musicians stopped playing at the sight of the prince covered in punch. Only Rapunzel seemed unfazed, stepping forward threateningly, fists clenched and heaving with breaths.

"You can insult the way I look," she growled, her eyes deadlocked on Robert's shocked blue ones, "you can insult the things I do…But _never, ever,_ are you to say anything like that about Eugene. _Ever!_ You know what? Arranged marriage law or not, I will _never marry you_!"

Her point finally across, Rapunzel tried to catch her breath, and then froze as she noticed the dead silence of the room. She looked back at Robert, and then her brow wrinkled in confusion as she saw he wasn't even _looking_ at her. Instead, his eyes were locked at something over her shoulder, and whatever it was, he was trembling. Uneasily, Rapunzel slowly surveyed all the royals in the room, and she noticed that they were all staring at the same thing—In the _opposite direction._

Hesitantly, Rapunzel turned her head in the direction that everyone else was staring at. Confused, she saw all of their gazes were locked on the entrance to the ballroom, and she whirled around to fully catch sight at what had snagged everyone's attention.

What she saw nearly made her heart stop.

Standing, grinning evilly in the doorway of the entrance, were two menacing figures that Rapunzel thought she would never see again. She blinked quickly, just in case she was dreaming, but when she opened her eyes, the two men were still there, swords in hand and looking more menacing than ever.

They were real. And they were _here._

The Stabbington Brothers were right in front of her.

And this time, there was no one to save her.

* * *

><p><strong>Go 'Punzie! Ah, the image of Robert falling into a punch bowl makes me smile.<strong>

**Perhaps the only thing I'm not pleased with is the ending. It just seems a little incomplete...**

**Oh, well. You can let me know. Anyway, REVIEW REPLIES!**

**Phantoms and Angels: Hey, don't worry-Sometimes you _need_ a horror twisted mind when writing something...You'll see...MUAHAHAHAHA!**

**fryingpanninja107: To be honest, I love long reviews! If someone just reviews and says "I liked it" I'm like..."Well, that's descriptive." Lol...Though I love all my reviews. But don't feel bad about a long one! I feel it makes me better as a writer because they tend to be more detailed. When I get to the end of a review, it's like a funeral. Well, not really, but you know what I mean. And now _I'm _ranting. But seriously, thanks! And you are absolutely right. He's a crazed up fruit loop! No, wait. He's CUCKOO FOR COCOA PUFFS! Lol...sorry, I had to do that.**

**Liz McCallus: Thanks for the songs! Oh, and don't take your anger out on the computer! Lol...but it's nice to know that I'm inspiring people...Makes me feel like my writing is really worth something. Thanks!**

**ZeGabz: I feel sorry for Robert-I hate avacado with a passion...And I'm sure a rotten one isn't any better...**

**WhatsmyAge: I will take your random letters as a compliment. Lol...But seriously, though, thanks!**

**EdwardBellaAndSasuSaku4Eva: SUPAH EUGENE! lol...I'd have him rescue me any day.**

**Lily Watergates: Lol, it's funny how you say overweight...Just his outfit, actually. Underneath, he's actually a twig...But don't tell him I told you!**

**PampleMousse07: Lol...I love how all my A/N's are like goofmaster and then when we get into the story it's like all SERIOUS. hehehe**

**sunnyprincessbird: OMG. WHEN I READ THAT, I SCREAMED! lol...I was thinking about the dream all day...That's horrible and amazing at the same time-On one hand, you dreamt about my fanfic! *Does happy dance* but on the other hand, EUGENE DIED! *Happy dance abruptly stops and Sheep1215 breaks down crying* That cardboard cutout bit made me laugh, though. I can just imagine it...hehehe**

**SUNNY. BAUDELAIRE: YAY! I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO REACTS THAT WAY AFTER PIE! Lol...jk. But seriously...that was an EPIC idea. My fave part was the invisibility cloak...hehehe!**

**kittehkitty2: AWWWW! Thanks so much! Unfortunately, all the sea monsters were on loan while I was writing this, so I was not able to get one...But, as for your story, I'm SO glad you were able to get out of the rut! Let's see an update! PLEASE! OR I WILL _FIND_ A WAY TO GET A SEA MONSTER ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AND THEN SIC IT ON _YOU_! No. No. No. I WILL SIC _ROBERT_ ON YOU! HA! No...I'm not that evil. But please update? Please? Soon? *Does Bambi eyes* YOU CANNOT RESIST.**

**Reverand Lovejoy: Phew! I'm glad. You know, almost all of that internal struggle was scribbled down in a notebook, and I nearly lost half of it because the pages kept falling out! But when inspiration strikes, you gotta write. And I think that made him look more human. I have noticed people cutting him a little more slack. I'm happy about that...And you're not only a bodyguard-You're a friend and mentor! That makes for one epic bodyguard...But anyway, glad you liked it! And Fanart! I would absolutely LOVE it. Him in the chair is perfect-If you could create something like that, that would be AWESOME. Thanks!**

**dannybird22: Gracias for the supplies! I haven't thought of that yet...Next chapter, I will take the air vent route!**

**justlookup: YES! FANART! PLEASE! *grabs at page and accidently rips it* Oops. lol...But yes. I would like that very much. Thanks!**

**WickedSong: Thank you. :-) I'm glad that I was able to portray that in a good way-I was worried it might not have turned out exactly like that.**

**Marry Me In Vegas: Wow. Only four fanfics? Now that _really_ makes me feel special. Thanks a bunch!**

**BokReader: Awwwww! Thanks so much! That would be so cool if some random Disney guy was reading fanfic and liked this story and pitched it to Disney...Though I don't think it would happen-The whipping and creepy Robert events are probably too much for young children...hehehe. But thanks! And NOOOOOO! Not flying aardvarks! Flying llamas, maybe, but aardvarks? EEEP!**

**An Unknown Foreign Beauty: Thanks for the fanart! And you know what's funny? I was looking through some deviantARTs, and I saw that one with Rapunzel and Eugene lying in the grass, and then I went on fanfic, and I saw your profile pic and I was like, "Hmmmm...That's familiar-OH YEAH!" Ha. It's cute! I like it!**

**twihardandveryobsessed: Thanks you very mucho!**

**AuthorLili: That. Was. AMAZING. I almost feel sorry for Robert...Take him to Bieber? Poor guy. Wait, what am I saying? NEVER MIND, THIS IS ROBERT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT! I SAY WE TAKE HIM TO BIEBER _AND_ REBECCA BLACK! TOGETHER!**

**PocahontasJohnSmithForever: I know what you mean-If anything happened to either one of them, the other would be so distraught. Thanks for reviewing, even if it was just this once. Keep reading...You'll see what happens.**

**TinySlippers: I know what you mean-But Robert's just an idiot. However, I _will_ think about that! Oh, and that national novel writing thing? That sounds AWESOME. I'm definitely going to check it out. Thanks!**

**Wow. That...was...a lot. Thanks to all of you guys who reviewed, did fanart, and even to the ones who just read. I appreciate all you guys-Thank you!**

**Again, sorry it took so long to update. Actually, as soon as I post this, I think I'm going to go right back to writing, to make up for lost time.**

**You guys are epic!**

**More soon!**

**-Sheep1215**


	20. Where's Rider?

**OH. MY. GOSH.**

**Let me first start this off by saying I am SO STUPID. But before I explain why, I just want to apologize to all of you guys, so much. I'M SO SORRY FOR TAKING THIS LONG TO UPDATE! I think this is the longest I've ever gone for updating on ANY of my stories, and I feel horrible. I didn't mean to drag it out this long, but I have various reasons why. But the main one was this: Writer's clock. I mean block. See? I'm tired. I stayed up all night working on this one night...**

**But really. Writer's block (I KEEP WRITING CLOCK!) has killed me for like, the past, two weeks. All I've been writing over this period has been probably the HARDEST THING EVER TO WRITE, and I have no clue why...I had the idea in my head, but everything I typed up sounded so dumb and unrealistic...Seriously. I have four files. For one chapter. It's been insane. I cannot even explain to you how much I have been praying for inspiration. But, (THANK YOU, JESUS) God finally gave me a huge rush of inspiration just a few nights ago, and I wrote like there was no tomorrow. **

**So now, let me explain why I am so stupid.**

**I was in the process of writing Chapter 20, all through this two week period. Even up until now-I'm actually still writing, when I realize I have this DEATH MAMMOTH of a chapter. Over 7,000 words. In all my fanfiction writing, I don't think I've EVER written a chapter that long (Not counting A/N'S) and the whole time, I'm like..."Gosh, this is so long! But I'm taking forever. I've got to limit myself! Oh, but now it doesn't sound good!"**

**SO...NOW...LIKE 10 MINUTES AGO. LITERALLY. I REALIZE THAT THERE IS LIKE, A BREAK, RIGHT SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF MY CHAPTER. AND IF I SPLIT IT UP RIGHT THERE, I HAVE TWO PERFECT CHAPTER LENGTHS. AND I COULD HAVE UPDATED THIS WAY EARLIER. AND ONLY SOMEONE AS STUPID AS I AM IS JUST REALIZING THAT NOW. SO PLEASE, PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME! **

**But the good news is, the second "half" of this "chapter" (which is now Chapter 21) is almost done and you can hopefully expect it by Saturday (Sunday at the latest)! And this time, I mean it. I don't think it's going to take me two weeks to write a few paragraphs.**

**So thank you all for being so patient, and for all your lovely reviews! One good thing (probably the only good thing) about this whole two hour update wait was the insane amount of reviews I got over this time period! 44-The most ever for a chapter, I think I've gotten, _ever_. And (and I can still hardly believe I'm saying this) WE BEAT 500! I seriously never imagined A.T.R.M. (hehehe...I have an acronym!) getting this popular! You guys are the most amazing people on the planet-I can not express that enough. You guys are honestly incredible. If anyone tells you otherwise, tell me; I'll give them a good talking to...With my frying pan.**

**RE-VIEW-RE-PLIES! AT! DA! END! But you knew that...**

**OH, AND ONE MORE RANDOM THING! Did you guys hear Tangled's been nominated for a Teen Choice Award? And Zachary Levi has too, for the role of Flynn Rider! Gosh, this better not end up like the Academy Awards did...At least Toy Story 3's not in the running this time. GO, TANGLED!**

**Ok, this A/N is going on WAY too long, and I know you guys want to get to the story! But one last shout-out to Reverend Lovejoy and EugeneandRapunzelFitzherbert for doing some EPIC new fanart for the story! Also want to thank fryingpanninja107 for doing _another_ awesome fanart for the story! Go see them! They're up on my profile page! And thanks, you guys, SOOOOOOOOOOOO much! P.S. If anyone else wants to do fanart, I will happily take anything else you guys can come up with! I love seeing your art, and every new fanart just makes me so happy...**

**But enough about my happiness (lol)...On to the story!**

**Sheep1215: YAY! It's time for another epic episode of, "My Fruitless and Sometimes Injury-Causing Attempts to Someday Own the Amazingly Epic Movie of Epicness That is TANGLED!"**

**Story-Deprived Fans: OH MY GOSH! NO! LET US READ THE FREAKIN' STORY!**

**Sheep1215: But-**

***The Story-Deprived Fans then go on a rampage and trample Sheep1215, snatching Chapter 20 out of her hands and fighting over it like a bunch of fangirls over Justin Bieber***

**Sheep1215: Ow...**

**Maybe someday I'll own Tangled...But right now, I'm recovering in the hospital from the stampede...and I'm still Tangled-less.**

**Chapter Song: "Savin' Me," by Nickelback (P.S. I've changed the Chapter song for Chapter 18 and added one to Chapter 7! You know...If you wanna check them out. I like them a lot!)**

* * *

><p>Rapunzel's hands trembled as she stared, wide-eyed, at the two intimidating men standing in the ballroom entrance. Her heart nearly froze as she saw the menacing sneers on their faces, and she backed away, searching for some barrier of safety that she just couldn't seem to find. There could be only one reason that they were here…<p>

They were after _her_.

Rapunzel remembered when they had first tried to kidnap her, and they had nearly ended up getting Eugene killed. It was one of the most terrifying moments of her life. And now they were back, right in front of her. Who knew what they were going to do? The mere thought sent chills down her spine.

The red-headed criminals surveyed the ballroom with conniving grins on their faces, swords gleaming in their hands. They seemed to be enjoying the blatant fear of all of the royals, who all had their eyes locked on the sudden intruders. The room was dead silent, until one of the brothers spoke up.

"Sorry to interrupt," the one with the sideburns sneered, "but I believe someone forgot to send us an invitation."

"This ball is for _royals only_," a brown-haired young man in a black suit stepped forward. "And if you don't disappear in the next five seconds, our guards will personally escort you _out_."

"Oh, don't worry," Sideburns chuckled. "We took care of them already."

A shocked gasp rippled through the ballroom as the brother with the eye patch held up a royal guard's helmet, a devious smile on his face. Rapunzel swallowed as the brother let it topple from his hand, and it clattered against the floor. The brown-haired man stepped back with a gasp, and the room fell silent once again as realization sank in. These brothers weren't kidding around.

They were out for the kill.

"Now then," Sideburns smirked, as if nothing had happened, "let's get down to business. Where are the 'oh-so-noble' future rulers of Corona?"

Rapunzel's heart froze as, after a moment of hesitation, all eyes in the ballroom went to her, including the brothers'. Finally discovering their victim, a sly grin spread across both of the brothers' faces.

"Ah, Princess," the Stabbington with the sideburns—the only one who ever seemed to talk—stepped forward menacingly, his brother close behind. "So nice to see you again…" he chuckled as he gestured to her short brown locks. "Apparently, a lot has changed since we last spoke."

Rapunzel stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over her own two feet, she was so afraid. Beneath her, she heard Pascal growl, but she was too afraid to even take her eyes off of the brothers. Slowly, they approached her, getting closer…Closer…

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw some of the royals fearfully making their way towards the exit, others just standing, frozen with fear as they watched the two criminals advance sinisterly towards the princess. For a split second, Rapunzel let her eyes leave the brothers, stealing a glance at the exit. She had to escape, before they caught her and did something _terrible_…

Her eyes darted back to the brothers, who were just a few feet away from her. She backed away even more, nearly crashing into the refreshment table where Robert still sat, trembling in fear. She tried not to think about him right now. She was planning her escape…She had to move, _now_!

Holding her breath, Rapunzel could feel her heart pounding against her chest. The Stabbingtons took one more step…

And she took off.

Bolting from the refreshment table, she immediately began running towards the exit, sprinting faster than she ever had before. However, the strong, burly men were much faster, and, within seconds, one of them had grabbed her arm and was gripping it tightly. She struggled with all her might, but she was no match for the two of the brothers, and she let out a yelp of fear as they whirled her around, gripping the front of her dress and yanking her forward.

"Leaving so soon, Princess?" Sideburns sneered, pulling her even closer. "But what about your date? You can't just leave him all _alone_, can you?"

Rapunzel's frightened gaze snapped to Robert, who looked equally terrified. What? What did _he _have to do with anything?

When Rapunzel didn't reply, Sideburns's sneer disappeared, red-faced anger flooding its place. He gripped the princess's dress tighter, jerking her forward so quickly that Rapunzel almost felt her neck snap.

"Where's Rider?" he demanded loudly, shaking Rapunzel violently. "Where is he?"

Rapunzel's terrified look morphed into one of confusion. What were they talking about? _Rider_? Eugene was back in jail! Unless…Now that Rapunzel thought about it, their cells hadn't been on the same floor—Perhaps word hadn't gotten around to the criminals up there that Eugene had been arrested. So that meant they thought he was here…with her…

Oh, gosh…

"_Tell us where he is!_" Sideburns bellowed. "_NOW!_"

"I—I don't—" Rapunzel stuttered, her heart pounding at a hundred miles an hour. The look in the brother's eyes was one of pure fury…It was almost _murderous_ anger…One wrong word, and her life could be in jeopardy. Or worse…

Eugene's.

"Luther," Rapunzel's gaze snapped to the brother with an eye patch—it was the first time Rapunzel had ever heard him speak, "guards. I hear 'em. They're probably comin' to."

The brother with the sideburns, Luther, turned his head and listened intently, and so did Rapunzel. At first, she was overjoyed to hear the sound of clamoring men outside—Guards, it sounded like—but then, Luther's next words diminished every last bit of hope inside of her.

"Alright, Logan. Rider's not here," he snarled. "Fine, then. We'll take the girl." His angry eyes glared right into Rapunzel's terrified green ones. "We'll find out where he is, even if we have to break _every bone_ in her regal little body."

"No," Rapunzel's voice came out as a petrified whisper. "Please…"

Luther, ignoring the princess's pleas, grabbed the young woman and slung her over his shoulder, holding her tightly. Immediately, Rapunzel started kicking, screaming, and pounding her fists against the escaped criminal's back, to no avail. He didn't even flinch. Rapunzel didn't give up…She had to get out of this!

But it was no use. They were almost to the door, and Luther was still painfully gripping her waist. Her determination fizzled out and was replaced with cold hard fear, and her eyes frantically scanned the room, searching for someone—_anybody_—who would be willing to help her. However, many of the royals had already fled the ballroom, and the ones that remained were either hiding, shielding their _own_ dates, or just frozen with fear. As much as the princess pleaded for help, everyone left standing was too terrified to try and rescue her.

So she did the unthinkable.

"Robert!" Rapunzel pleaded, tears in her eyes as her gaze snapped to the petrified prince, still shaking with the punch bowl over his head. "Help me, _please_!"

Robert didn't move, his terrified blue eyes locked on the two criminals kidnapping his date.

"_Please!_" Rapunzel shrieked, before the other brother, Logan, clasped a tight hand over her mouth. The princess still continued to struggle, her desperate green eyes locked on the blonde-haired prince. He had to help her…He _had_ to!

Finally, Robert rose to his feet, only to let out a frightened noise and scurry behind the refreshment table.

Not even her so-called _prince_ was going to save her.

_No one was going to save her_.

"_Robert, please!_" Rapunzel cried, her voice muffled by Logan's huge hand. Suddenly, she caught sight of something on the ground, and her eyes widened at the sight of Pascal, running towards her with fearful eyes. He must have fallen from her dress when Luther picked her up…

"Pascal!" she shrieked, breaking away from Logan's hand for just a split second. "Pas—Pascal, g—Go get help!"

Logan, angrily clasping his hand over the princess's mouth once again, turned to see whom she was calling out to, but luckily, Pascal was able to change his color to fit the ballroom floor in an instant. Before anyone could spot him, the little chameleon was already racing off, desperate to save his best friend.

But would he get back in time?

Rapunzel once again went back to struggling, slamming her fists against Luther and occasionally Logan, who both seemed unfazed. Even with Logan's hand over her mouth, she shrieked at the top of her lungs, hoping someone…_anyone_…would come to her rescue…

"Would you shut her up?" Luther growled, the guards' voices now becoming more perceptible. "If we get caught again, I'm gonna _kill_ someone!"

Rapunzel didn't think that was a figure of speech.

Before the princess could react, Logan glared at her angrily, drew back his fist, and then sent it forward, full force, straight towards Rapunzel's temple.

The last thing the princess remembered was an agonizing pain against her head…

And then…_nothing_.

O-O-O-O-O

Even the moon had no pity for a prisoner.

Eugene gazed out of his barred cell window—or, at least, tried to—and saw nothing but darkness. Darkness inside his cell, darkness out. Either the moon was masked by clouds, or it was just new moon once again…Either way, it was refusing to show itself, leaving Eugene a vulnerable victim to the darkness all around him. Darkness, surrounding him, inside and out, threatening to consume everything around him and ultimately he himself. The only light was the faint glow of the torches out in the hallways of the prisons, and even _that_ little flickering of luminosity made him feel worse; it just reminded him that everyone outside was rewarded with light, while prisoners like himself were sentenced to darkness. After all, that was what everyone thought about him, right? He was a filthy, disgusting criminal with darkness in his heart, so therefore, all he deserved was darkness.

He wasn't even worthy enough to receive light.

Eugene let out a sigh, Rapunzel's face flooding his thoughts for about the millionth time that night. To him, she was the only light in this darkness, and now she had been ripped away from him…And no doubt her radiant light was being smothered tonight by that stupid, pompous prince. The mere thought made Eugene want to punch something. Rapunzel didn't deserve that…Why couldn't the council see what this Robert mess was doing to her?

Eugene rubbed his hands against his face and then ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, trying to keep his thoughts in order without driving himself insane. Rapunzel was gone. After nearly six days, he _still_ hadn't been able to come to terms with that. That beautiful, amazing girl…heck, practically the reason for his existence…To think she was out there right now, wrapped up in the arms of some spoiled, callous jerk…Who knew what he could be doing to her _right now_?

The mere thought made Eugene's anger nearly boil over.

And just to add to the paranoia, there was still the issue of the Stabbingtons. As soon as the Captain had gotten word earlier that morning that the brothers had escaped, he had sent out a search party consisting of him and some of his best men almost immediately. But Eugene already felt like it was a doomed mission…for multiple reasons.

For one, Maximus wasn't even _with _them—Ever since Maximus had aided in Eugene's escape from prison, the Captain had grown wary of the stallion, wondering whose side he really was on. And when Maximus had helped Rapunzel sneak out without permission, the Captain had become even more distrusting, and since then, he had been using a different horse to accomplish any out-of-castle work. The new horse was a great tracker, Eugene had heard, but he knew for sure that no horse could ever surpass Maximus when it came to tracking…And a horse like Max was exactly what they needed at a time like this.

And secondly, no matter how much he pleaded, Collins still refused to let Eugene help. Eugene understood the man was just doing his job, but still, this could be the difference between life and death! Why couldn't they just take that into consideration and _listen to him_?

Immediately, disturbing images flooded Eugene's thoughts. The Stabbingtons were the kind of people who made their victims suffer before disposing of them…Especially if they had a bone to pick with them. Eugene's heart thudded against his chest as he thought of all the horrible things they might do to his beloved, if they found her…

Realizing he was torturing himself once again, Eugene shut his eyes tight and vigorously shook his head, trying to clear the horrible thoughts from his mind. Ok, this wasn't helping. But then again, positive thinking wasn't going to do much either. Not as long as he was here, trapped behind bars and so powerless…

He had to get out of here.

Whether she was with Robert or the Stabbingtons, either one spelled bad news for Eugene's beloved princess. And he couldn't just sit here and do nothing about that. No…There had to be a way out of this mess…Out of this cell…Out of this _darkness_…To where he could just swoop into that ballroom, lift that beautiful girl into his arms, and just run away with her. Run away from all this chaos…to a place where they could be safe, secure, and _together_.

_He needed to save her._

_But how? _Eugene asked himself for about the millionth time that night. The only things that surrounded him were bricks, bars, and darkness—Not exactly a recipe for escape. There were no pub thugs around to come to his rescue this time…no opportunity to be taken out of his cell and be able to formulate some kind of escape…He was trapped, and as much as he wanted to escape, there was just no way…

Eugene let out a sigh, letting his head fall into his hands. He was never one to just sit around and face facts…But this was just like the arranged marriage situation.

_There was no way out_.

Suddenly, a shrill squeak echoed through his cell, and Eugene jolted up, not expecting the abrupt noise. Collins turned and gave Eugene a suspicious look, but after seeing that the inmate was not up to anything sneaky, turned back around with a sigh. Eugene, however, looked curiously around the room, searching for the source of the sudden squeak. Suddenly, his gaze locked on a little shape perched on the sill of his barred window that hadn't been there a second ago. Sure enough, another, quieter squeak came from the mysterious creature at his window, and with a grin of recognition, Eugene rushed over to the window, trying to look inconspicuous as he scooped up the little reptile and sat down in a corner of his cell, concealing himself in the dark shadows.

"Pascal!" Eugene's gasp was a quiet—albeit shocked—whisper. "What are you—I mean, how did—"

It was then that Eugene noticed the little green creature wheezing with squeaky breaths, and Eugene's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait—You _ran?_ All the way here from _Dolus_? That—that's miles away! Granted, it's not that far by carriage, not at all, but for, you know, a frog—"

Pascal let out another squeak, trying to nab Eugene's attention.

"Chameleon. Sorry. But still, I mean, running all this way—Wait," suddenly, Eugene noticed the frantic look in the tiny reptile's eyes, and unease began to flood his body. "Where…Where's Rapunzel?"

Pascal, finally steadying his breathing, let out a growl and turned bright red. Eugene raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. What on earth…?

When the little chameleon saw that he wasn't getting the point across, he tried again, this time, covering his eye with one scaly hand and brandishing a finger on the other one, waving it furiously around in the air.

Eugene's thoughts raced. "A…a sword?" he asked, and Pascal nodded, letting the hand that wasn't covering his eye fall. "And…And…um..."

An…

An eyepatch.

Eugene's eyes grew huge, and his heart immediately froze. A sword and an eyepatch…

No.

"The—the Stabbingtons…" Eugene's voice came out as a choked whisper, and he desperately pleaded in his mind that his guess was wrong. "They took her?"

Pascal let his other hand fall, and then, after a moment of solemn hesitation, nodded sadly.

In that instant, Eugene felt his entire being go numb. His attention wasn't even on Pascal anymore; he just gazed off into the distance, trying to piece together his unexpectedly shattered thoughts.

His worst nightmare had come true.

His beloved was in the hands of two bloodthirsty murderers.

And it was all his fault.

"No…" the young man's voice was barely audible as Pascal hopped down from his palm and both of his hands flew to his face. "Blondie…Oh, gosh, no…"

There could be only one reason that they would have kidnapped Rapunzel. Because of _him_. They wanted to get back at him—at Flynn Rider, more specifically—for every double-crossing, backstabbing act he'd pulled with them.

And they were going to do that by getting rid of the thing he treasured most: That beautiful, innocent girl.

Misery clashed with rage inside of Eugene's body, and it felt like a violent thunderstorm was going on inside of him. He thought of Collins, and how the guard had refused to let Eugene go out and help search. Now look what had happened. Eugene gripped at his hair with tightly clenched fists, and it took everything he had not to run over to Collins and announce, "Happy now? Your Princess is _gone_!"

But he couldn't do that, because Collins would ask how he found that out, and that would reveal Pascal.

And he couldn't reveal Pascal.

Because he needed Pascal if this plan was ever going to work.

This plan. Already, Eugene's mind was furiously conjuring up a plan in the midst of all his shock and fury. There was no more time to waste. Someway, _somehow_, he was going to get out of here. He didn't care what it took.

He was going to find Rapunzel.

And he was going to save her.

Apparently, Pascal noticed the sudden change in emotion in the young man, and gave him a curious look. Eugene, determination now coursing through his veins, took the little reptile in his palm and stared him dead in the eye.

"I'm not going to let them hurt her," Eugene announced in a firm whisper. "We're going to get out there, save her, and bring her home. _Tonight._"

Pascal raised an eyebrow at him, a gesture that plainly translated to, "And how do you plan to do _that_?"

"Simple," the young man whispered, the determination shining in his eyes like fire. "Pascal, have you ever been part of a jailbreak?"

After a moment of confused hesitation, the chameleon shook his head.

"Well, then," Eugene chuckled, "I guess tonight's the night you're gonna be."

* * *

><p><strong>Not that much action in this chapter, but don't worry-I've previewed the next one, and I think you guys are gonna like it! ;-)<strong>

**Oh yeah, review replies! (Wow...there's gonna be a LOT!)**

**ZeGabz: I want to hear this plan.**

**Reverend Lovejoy: LOL! You are so right...and thanks so much for the fanart! Loved it.**

**KaylaBelle: Oh, thanks! I always try my best to make it realistic, but still, keeping that Disney-esque cute style in the characters without making it too goofy. I'm glad you like it!**

**kittehkitty2: BUAHHAHAHAHAH! RUMPELSTUPIDSKIN! OH MY GOSHHHHHHHHHHHHH! LOL...You make me laugh. And yes, I understand eeping! I do it all the time! But you know what the creepy part is? When you're writing, to really portay emotions and such, you have to insert yourself into the character's shoes and take their place in the story...And trust me...It's horrible putting yourself in Punzie's shoes when Robert's being...well, _himself. _Honestly-I think that scene in Chapter 16 scarred me for life. Lol...even reading it now gives me the creeps! Packs of wolves...Sea monsters...Geez, what kind of company do you order this kind of stuff from? Oh, and Jonathan...Joy, how could I forget! Please...You saw Robert in this chapter-I think we should write that duel so I can just laugh at Robert running away from Jonathan like a pansy! It wouldn't be so much as a duel as really a hilarious chase scene...But hey, you never know! ****;-)**

**twihardandveryobsessed: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I love, LOVE LOVE LOVE _LOVE_ Yanni-Almost as much as Tangled (I said almost!)! And I actually have that song on my computer! Love it, and I think you're right! It fits! Hehehe...did you know Yanni was another thing that helped me get out of this writing rut? I have like, three albums on my computer from him and they've helped inspire me so much. Now it's like the only thing I listen to while I write. And the "reward"...UGH...Now I'm sort of _glad_ the Stabbingtons came in!**

**fryingpanninja107: Believe it or not, that punch scene was one of the first ideas I came up with, even before writing the story! Not sure if you remember, but in...Chapter 4, I think...I mentioned that Robert originated from a screenplay I was writing? Yup. Well, this scene was in that screenplay. However, I thought it worked perfect here in Punzie's case, and I'm actually happy with how it turned out! Sorry you're angry...I feel sorry for your dad...and that crayon. Lol! But anyway, glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you liked this one too! And like I've said, I LOVE long reviews! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! And thanks for the other fanart, too! ;-)**

**TangledGirlForever: YESSSSSSSSSSSS! FANART! *Rejoices and jumps off roof High School Musical (bleh) style!* Thanks you! And ooh! Tangled story? I'll be sure to check it out when I get the chance! Can't wait!**

**bookchick: Oh, yeah, no pressure there...lol**

**PampleMousse07: I can so picture Eugene strangling Robert...And I'm enjoying it...lol**

**PocahontasJohnSmithForever: Oh, I don't mind the long review-I actually like those a lot :-) And I understand exactly what you're feeling. As much as I want to write randomly in one chapter, "And then the council all decided to take a vacation and visit the world's tallest and most dangerous cliff and go skydiving without any parachutes 'cuz they feel _DANGEROUS_," alas, I cannot. They add for good conflict...as much as I, and everyone else seems to hate them. I'm glad you like the story, though! I hope you're enjoying it still!**

**edger230: You made me laugh so hard, I think I died. So after I recover from _that_, _and_ my trampling injuries, I'll see what I can do about getting you out of there. ;-)**

**RadosianStar: I think you're right about that... ;-)**

**sunnyprincessbird: I love how everyone's freaking out about the whole "reward" business...Ick. And I also love everyone's reaction to the whole punch bowl shove...lol!**

**TinySlippers: Thanks, and thanks also for the link!**

**dannybird22: Thanks...I'll be sure to take that route right after I recover from the Crazed Fan injuries...**

**KMgirl: *singsong voice* Just keep reeeeeeaaaaaddddiiiinnnnggg ;-)**

**FlowerThatHeals: LUCKYYYYYYYYYYYYY!**

**EugeneandRapunzelFitzherbert: Thanks so much for the fanart! LUVED IT! *happy dance***

**silverbellsb: OH, NOOOOOOOO! Keyboard accident...bleh, hate those. But on a happier note, MORE FANART? EEEP! Yes, please! That would be beyond _awesome_!**

**056A: It makes me so happy that people would be willing to devote a week to this...Thanks so much!**

**OH.**

**MY.**

**GOSH.**

**That was a lot.**

**I think I've been typing these for literally an hour.**

**No wonder these chapters look so long!**

**Anyway, next chapter will be out VERY SOON! Please, please, PLEASE REVIEW! I get another flicker of inspiration every time I see a review alert...And believe me, I need all the inspiration I can get.**

**Thanks for reading! You guys rock!**

**-Sheep1215**


	21. Escape

**Hey, everybody!**

**Ok, so here's Chapter 21, as promised. See, I told you I would update fast! :-) But anyway, I'm sort of glad this chapter is over with and done-I had SO many crazy freak ideas of how I would go about this, and even now, I don't think it's completely perfect (mainly the ending) but first of all, I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer, and secondly, I didn't want to try and edit it and make the whole thing worse. I decided this was as close to perfect as I was going to get, so anyway...Hope you enjoy.**

**Thanks for all the epic reviews! Gosh...33 reviews in one day? This still blows my mind. I mean, we're almost to 550, already! Wow...You guys are AMAZING!**

**Short A/N...But I guess that's good. A lot of my past ones have been freakishly long and rantish (Is that a word?) so I'm glad there's not much to tell this go-round.**

**Enjoy!**

**Okey dokey! I have now fully recovered from the fan stampede injuries, so I'm going to take dannybird22's advice and try the vents! THANKS FOR THE TIP!**

***Sheep1215 approaches Walt Disney Studios like a NINJA. Once at wall, she climbs into air vent shaft like a NINJA. She then proceeds to crawl through the vents like a NINJA. Once she finds herself over the Tangled document room, she fangirls like-A PLATYPUS. No. Just kidding. A freakin NINJA. However, all the fangirling stirs up the dust in the vents, causing Sheep1215's stupid allergies to act up. So she sneezes. LIKE A NINJA! And plummets to the ground...Like a NINJA. However, just as she is about to grab the Tangled document (like a NINJA, I might add) some random guy in a Donald Duck costume comes and shoots her with a tranquilizer gun...LIKE A DUCK!**

**So she passes out...**

**LIKE A NINJA!***

**And that was the end of my endeavor to own Tangled. At least, for that day. I had no clue Disney employed Donald Duck-disguised ninja shooters! Geez...someone could have mentioned that!**

**Maybe I'll try again soon...once they dust the vents. But until then, I don't own Tangled! *sobs***

**Chapter Song: "Mission Impossible Theme" JUST KIDDING! Unfortunately, try as I might (I literally searched for hours) I couldn't really find a song that would competely fit this chapter. And trust me...I went through a bazillion. Thanks to all you guys who gave me suggestions though! I'll see if I can use them for later chapters! ;-)**

* * *

><p>This <em>had<em> to work.

There were no ifs, ands, or buts. This _had_ to work.

Eugene tried not to appear nervous as he stood by the barred window, impatiently waiting for Pascal to return. In his head, a million thoughts flew around—questions, mainly—and trying to answer them all at once made him dizzy. Would this plan work? What if it didn't? What would he do then? Heck, this whole escape plan had been a spur-of-the-moment one, but unfortunately, that was all he had time for. He couldn't waste a second…

A second could make all the difference in the world.

And right now, the seconds ticked away like hours. Where the heck was Pascal? Eugene shook his head—Pascal was going as fast as he could. After all, he had just run here all the way from _Dolus_, for crying out loud! And for a frog—chameleon—whatever, that was far. Besides, Rapunzel was Pascal's best friend, so Pascal knew how important it was that they didn't waste time.

They couldn't afford to waste time. Not with Rapunzel's life at stake.

The mere thought of Rapunzel's life in the hands of the Stabbingtons made Eugene want to punch through these prison walls and rush off to save her himself. However, he knew that wasn't possible. But still, it took everything he had just to wait here and be patient…How long had the Stabbingtons had Rapunzel before Pascal had finally arrived in Corona? What if he was too late? What if…

Eugene swallowed, trying to catch his breath. All these "what ifs" were killing him. But still…They _could_ happen, and…

No…He didn't want to think about that right then.

Trying to get his mind off of all the things that _could_ go wrong, he instead tried to picture in his mind his escape working out perfectly…everything going exactly according to plan, and Eugene rushing in and saving Rapunzel before those monsters did anything to hurt her. Yes, that's what _had_ to happen.

_Or, you try to escape, you get caught, and then…_ Suddenly, Eugene thought of something he hadn't before: If he was caught attempting to escape from prison, no doubt the council would categorize that as terms for execution. And even though they couldn't go through with executing a prisoner without the King and Queen's consent, they could still make him _wish_ he was dead. Eugene shivered as he remembered the vicious whipping he had received from the Captain. Who knew what other twisted ways they would find to punish him? But then again…If he allowed anything to happen to Rapunzel, well, then Eugene would much rather be dead anyway. She was his _world_.

And that's why this had to work.

Suddenly, a muffled squeak came from behind him, and Eugene whirled around to see Pascal's little green tail poking through the bars of his window. With a small sigh of relief, he reached one arm out through the iron bars and fumbled about until he could feel cold metal at his fingertips. Trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, Eugene found the handle of the iron object and wrapped his hand firmly around it. Once he was sure he had a good grip on it, he began pulling it up, easing it through the bars as carefully as he could so the two metals wouldn't clink against each other. Another sigh of relief escaped his lips as he was able to ease the round iron object through the bars, and he chuckled as he saw Pascal hanging from the handle, the object still firmly gripped in his mouth.

"Alright, Pascal," Eugene chuckled in a whisper, "you can let go of the frying pan now."

Pascal released the handle of the frying pan from his tongue and plummeted down to the floor of Eugene's cell with a small plop. Completely unharmed, he looked up towards Eugene, awaiting his next orders. Eugene shook his head in astonishment, his eyes darting from the pan to the chameleon. First, he ran all the way here from Dolus, and now he had just scaled a prison wall with a cooking utensil more than _twice_ _his size_ in his mouth? Gosh, Pascal was just as eager to save Rapunzel as Eugene was.

But it didn't matter how eager they were; what mattered was that they did this _right_.

"Ok," Eugene nodded down at Pascal, letting out a slow, anxious breath. "You know what to do now."

Pascal let out a small grunt accompanied by a curt salute, and just like that, he was off, scurrying out through the bars of Eugene's cell into the dimly lit prison hallway.

_And now…_ Eugene thought, letting out another unsteady breath as he discreetly hid the pan behind his back and began inching his way towards the bars, _…we wait._

The young man's heart thudded in his chest. Now was the moment of truth; to see if his plan was really going to work. To see if he would really be able to pull this off, and save his true love from a horrible demise…Or lose her forever. One wrong move, one little slip, and everything could just come tumbling down. That's why he couldn't afford any mistakes.

And that's why he wasn't going to _make_ any mistakes.

He was going to get out of here.

He was going to find her.

He was going to save her.

He. Would. Not. Let. Her. Die.

Suddenly, a small _whoosh_ sound blew through the hallway, and Eugene's gaze snapped to the left side, which had just gone pitch black. Collins' gaze snapped in that direction, too, and Eugene moved even closer to the bars.

"What the—?" Collins mumbled, moving closer to the torch that had just been extinguished. "Now how the heck—"

Eugene heard a tiny scuttling across the floor, and he tightened his grip on the frying pan. Seconds later, another _whoosh_ sounded, and this time, the right side of the hallway fell completely dark.

"Now, wait a second!" Collins whirled around, completely puzzled. "What on earth?"

_Two down, one to go,_ Eugene thought, his eyes snapping to the last lit torch in that area of the hallway, right across from his cell. By then, he was gripping the frying pan so hard that his hand was throbbing in pain, but he ignored it. Instead, he focused on the little shape scurrying across the floor of the hallway and crawling up the wall, barely noticeable because it blended in so well with the stone-grey bricks. His eyes locked on the little creature as it finally perched right next to the lit torch, and its wide yellow eyes locked on Eugene's. Sneaking right behind the bars where a baffled Collins was standing, Eugene stared directly at Pascal, took in one last deep breath, and then nodded.

Eugene watched, holding his breath, as Pascal inhaled deeply, his cheeks bulging with oxygen, and then blew at the flame with all his might.

A sudden _whoosh_…

…and then the whole area of the hallway went pitch black.

_Now!_

Immediately, Eugene gripped the frying pan with both hands and swung through the bars, a sharp _clang_ echoing through the hallway before Collins could even tell what hit him. The guard froze as the iron object collided with his helmet, and Eugene squinted through the darkness, watching as Collins' body tumbled to the ground and hit the stones with a satisfying thud.

Eugene immediately ducked to his knees and began searching Collins' unconscious figure for the keys to his cell. He didn't hear any other guards—yet—but odds were at least one person heard that _clang_ and was rushing over to see what all the commotion was. The darkness of the hallway would buy him some time, but not much. He had to move fast.

A grin spread across Eugene's face as he finally felt the cold metal keys at his fingertips, and he laid the pan on the ground and reached out with his other hand, disconnecting them from Collins' belt. Wasting no time whatsoever, he quickly rose to his feet and rushed over to where he knew the keyhole to his cell was, his eyes finally beginning to adjust to the darkness. Teeth gritted in determination, he tried countless times to insert the correct key into the right spot, and then let out a relieved gasp as one of the keys finally slid into the lock. Eugene turned the key with a satisfying _click_, and immediately, he was able to slide the bars open. Quickly but stealthily, he grabbed the pan, ducked out of his cell and concealed himself in the shadows, grabbing the ring of keys and stuffing it in one of the pockets of his vest. Who knew if he would need it later? After all, any little bit of help he could get in this situation, he would willingly take it.

He needed all the help he could get.

Pressing up against the wall and allowing Pascal to climb down onto his shoulder, Eugene began his getaway, staying in the shadows as he meandered down the dark halls of the prisons. He couldn't head to the main entrance…No, that was too heavily guarded. Maybe the courtyards? Yes, that's where he had to go. Granted, he didn't _really_ want to wander out into the area where the _gallows themselves_ were located, but Eugene was pretty sure that it would be a _lot_ more open than the main entrance. From there he could find a way to climb up the wall…Or…Well, he'd think of something when the time came. Right now, he needed to focus on getting to the courtyards undetected. He couldn't fail now…

He _couldn't._

Moving at a painstakingly slow pace, Eugene stayed pressed up against the wall, hidden in the shadows and trying his best to avoid any torch-light in his path. Years of thieving experience paid off as he was able to conceal himself in the gloom every time a guard passed by, but still, his grip on the frying pan never loosened as he meandered through the darkness of the prison hallways. To him, every step he took across the dark stone floor sounded amplified, and his heart pounded in his chest with every hushed breath he took—afraid that one of the guards' eyes would suddenly snap onto him and it would all be over.

He couldn't let that happen.

Palms sweating, Eugene continued through the darkness, getting closer and closer to the courtyard. Finally, after peering around one last corner, his heart soared as he spotted the door—the one that led straight outside to the courtyard. Eugene couldn't believe his luck…It was right _there_…All he had to do was pass a few more guards from where he was hidden to the door, and then he'd be home free—

"Hey, you!"

Eugene instantly spun around at the sound of the gruff voice behind him, instinctively swinging the frying pan out in front of him.

_WHAM!_

Well…That was sudden.

The young man watched, his heart still pounding furiously in his chest as the guard who had abruptly appeared behind him froze upon impact, and then, with a blank look in his eyes, toppled to the ground with a loud thud.

Eugene heaved with breaths, trying to still his hammering heartbeat as he stared down at the now-unconscious man who had just scared him out of his wits. Suddenly, a feeling of unease pricked at him, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The prison was now filled with a _deathly_ silence. Granted, it had been completely quiet _before_ he had knocked out the guard, but now, something about the silence was just _eerie_. Almost as if he was being…watched…

_Oh, gosh, no…_

Holding his breath and fearing the worst, Eugene hesitantly turned around, the pan still gripped painfully in his hands. _Please…Please, don't let them be looking at…_

Finally, Eugene mustered up the courage to turn all the way around, and his heart sank as he spotted all the guards standing before him staring at one thing:

_…me._

Eugene stood, frozen in stunned silence, his stomach churning at the sight of every guard's shocked gaze stuck on _him_. For that moment, nobody moved a muscle, and the whole hallway was enveloped in the sickening silence…

"_Rider!_"

One guard's sudden outburst snapped Eugene back into reality, and immediately, his legs started working again. Whirling around, he bolted down the hallway as fast as his feet could carry him, and his heart pounded against his chest as he heard the thunderous footsteps of all the guards beginning their pursuit. Eugene gritted his teeth, panic flooding through his body. Granted, he wasn't usually one to panic, but this wasn't supposed to happen! Now what the heck was he going to do? Sure, he was faster than most of the guards behind him, but he was hopelessly outnumbered; and besides, one could only run for so long…

Trying furiously to quickly conjure up a plan in his mind, Eugene pushed himself to run even faster, not really caring who saw him now. He could hear even more shouts and pounding footsteps echoing behind him, and he realized that even more guards were joining in the pursuit…And by the sounds of it, they were getting closer. Heaving with breaths, Eugene didn't slow a bit; he could already feel the guards' frying pans at the back of his head…Or worse—their lances at his throat. Eugene knew that not every one of these guards were the most rule-abiding when it came to criminals. And even if the King and Queen hadn't sentenced him to execution, Eugene was sure that one of these guys could very well slit his throat and call it an "unfortunate accident", if they thought it was for the good of the kingdom…After all, no one saw what went on in the prisons…and everyone trusted a royal guard's word. And even if anyone _did_ find out…It was Flynn Rider! No one would care…

Wait.

Wrong.

_Rapunzel_ would care.

And that's why he couldn't let her down—He couldn't let them catch him. He had to get out of here, and he had to _save_ her!

_Come on, Eugene, think…Think, you idiot! _Daring to look over his shoulder, Eugene's heart pounded even more furiously as he saw the guards were even closer than he thought. Snapping his gaze back in front of him, he turned another corner in the hallway, and then, without a second thought, ducked to the left and bounded up a staircase. Only when he reached the top did he realize how stupid that had been—Now he was on the _second _level of the prisons…Even farther from the entrance than he had been before! And no doubt there were even more guards farther down this hallway...Plus, the ones chasing him had probably seen him turn left anyway! The young man smacked himself in the forehead with his palm. _Ugh...Way to go, Eugene!_

Suddenly, Pascal, who had been perched on his shoulder the whole time, let out a sharp squeak of alarm. Eugene whirled around, his heart pounding as he heard his pursuers' shouts echoing just at the bottom of the staircase. _He was running out of time_. Desperate for some means of escape, Eugene began anxiously looking around. He couldn't run anymore; he had to hide, _now_!

Just then, Eugene's eyes locked on an unoccupied cell, and he quickly ran over to it, yanking the ring of keys from his pocket and trying desperately to find one that fit. One of these _had _to work…It just _had _to!

"Come on, men! I think I saw him run up this way!"

"Come on, come on…" Eugene muttered under his breath, unsuccessful once again as he tried to insert another key into the lock. The butterflies in his stomach were fluttering at supersonic speed, and he tried to steady his hands as he fumbled for yet another key. Any second now, he expected to feel the rough hands of a guard yank him back by the shoulders, and then it would be all over…

Another key. No luck.

"You can run, Rider, but you can't hide!"

The voices were getting louder, and Eugene could hear the thunderous footsteps of the swarm of guards getting louder…closer…And his capture, along with it.

Another key—Eugene tried desperately to fit it into the lock, cursing himself as he nearly dropped the key ring in his haste. Nothing.

Pascal let out another frightened squeak, and Eugene practically stabbed the keyhole with the next key, the shouts and pounding footsteps of his pursuers practically _right behind him_.

No more time…

_No more time…_

No more—

_Click._

Time seemed to freeze as one of the keys _finally_ fit into the keyhole, and with that one click, the door was unlocked. Overcome with astonishment, Eugene didn't waste a second, flinging himself into the cell, quickly locking the bars behind him, and shrinking back into the shadows as much as he could manage. He held back a sigh of relief as, only what seemed like a second later, the group of guards reached the top of the staircase, running right past the cell in which he was hiding in. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Eugene shut his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. Oh, gosh…That had just been _too_ close. But by some miracle, he had been able to hide. Now all he needed to do was slip out of the cell quickly, before all the guards came back…Maybe then, he could finally make it down to the courtyards, and—

"You two stay put," Eugene's eyes flew open at the all-too-familiar sound of a guard's voice, and his hopes once again came crashing down as he saw three armored men rush back to the entrance of the staircase. Two of them immediately stood at attention in front of the staircase, and the other gave them a serious glare. "Make _sure_ he doesn't get past here…And if you see him, well, you know what to do."

The two guards nodded curtly, and the remaining one turned on his heel and ran off to go assist his comrades. Eugene's previously high hopes plummeted to a new all-time low. _Perfect. _Just _perfect_! He had been _so close _to escape…And now there was nowhere to run. Every exit was blocked, somehow—whether it was the guards right outside him stationed at the staircase, or the bars over the window in the cell…Either way, _every_ manner of escape was obstructed. His eyes went to the frying pan in his left hand. Maybe he could…His gaze snapped back to the guards at the staircase. No, they were too far. Plus, that would only call _more_ attention to him. No, that wouldn't work…But still! Eugene put the frying pan down and rubbed furiously at his face, as if that would help any. He _had_ to get out of here! Every second wasted in here was another second that could spell life or death for Rapunzel. The mere thought sent chills down his spine and flooded his entire being with anger. Those monsters would _not_ hurt her! He had to reach her, before...

Before it was too late.

But, looking around him, Eugene realized he had just painted himself into a corner. He had just locked himself inside a cell with guards just a few feet away from the door, and a whole army of them just down the hall. No doubt another one of them had the key to this cell, and it would only be a matter of time before they caught him…And really—how could he escape from _here_?

The young man gritted his teeth, furious at himself for his idiotic mistake. If anything happened to Rapunzel…it would be all his fault! Enraged, he shut his eyes tight, pounding against the brick wall with his fist.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

His anger got the best of him by his last slam against the wall, and he banged his clenched fist so hard against the huge brick that it hurt. Drawing back quickly and gritting his teeth even more, he tried to shake off the pain. But why? He deserved it, anyway. After all, he—

Wait.

Did that brick just…move?

Ignoring the pain in his hand, Eugene went back to the brick he had been pounding against, and, after looking at it curiously for a second, shoved against it with both hands. The brick slid forward with more speed than expected, and Eugene quickly stopped pushing it for fear it would topple out of the wall with a huge _bang_ and give him away. Even more confused, the young man examined the huge brick once again, and was shocked to find that the rocky material that had been holding the bricks together had been chipped away. But not naturally…Maybe by a knife, or a sword…

Wait. These bricks were…moving.

Just behind those bricks was the outside world.

And that meant Rapunzel...

…was just past this wall.

Hesitant to let his hopes get too high, for fear they'd just come crashing back down again, Eugene grabbed the edge of the brick next to the loose one and this time, pulled _backwards_, towards him, trying his best to ignore the gritty, brittle rock digging underneath his fingernails. Sure enough, that brick moved too, and as silently as possible, Eugene slid the brick out and set it next to him, anxiously looking over his shoulder to see if any of the guards at the staircase had spotted him. But to his surprise, neither of the armored men seemed to notice anything, and a ray of hope flickered inside of Eugene. He had no clue _who_ had loosened the bricks, nor how on earth they had managed to do it, but one thing was for sure—whoever had done it had sure helped him out a lot. Maybe there was a chance he could get out of here after all…

A grin beginning to spread across his face, Eugene took the other loose brick and began dragging it towards him, newfound energy coursing through his veins. However, just when he was about to dislodge the whole brick from the wall, a sudden cough from one of the guards at the staircase gave him a jolt. Whirling around, he accidently tugged the brick a little too roughly, and he flinched as the brick toppled onto the floor of the cell with a loud, echoing thud.

Eugene nearly felt his heart stop as one of the guards froze, a suspicious look on his face, and the young man barely had enough time to duck into the shadows before the armored man looked his way.

"What is it, Garrett?" the other guard asked his comrade.

"Thought I heard something in the Stabbingtons' cell…" Garrett explained, narrowing his eyes. Eugene pressed back even more against the wall, holding his breath and thanking his lucky stars that the night was dark enough to keep the cell enveloped in shadows. Finally, Garrett looked away with a sigh, and Eugene realized that it must have been too dark for him to spot the hole in the wall or the bricks on the ground, either. For once, this whole darkness thing was working to his advantage…

Wait. Did he say Stabbingtons?

_So _this_ is how they escaped! _Eugene realized, moving back to the hole in the wall. Well, if it worked for them, it would work for him, too. Once he was sure the guards' eyes were elsewhere, he shoved the other brick aside and stuck his head out of the empty space, taking in the cool night air.

_Freedom…_

Looking down, Eugene saw two stories of prison wall beneath him, but luckily, the bricks were worn and ridged enough to create perfect footholds. Pulling his head back into the cell, Eugene took the frying pan from the ground, unbuckled his vest, and slipped it inside.

He had a feeling he'd need it later.

Taking one last look around the dark, damp prison he'd been confined in for the past few weeks, Eugene took in one last deep breath, determination flooding his being. With a nod to the little chameleon on his shoulder, Eugene began his escape, slipping out, feet-first, through the gap in the wall. Neither of the guards seemed to notice as he secured both of his boots on the rough bricks, carefully easing out the rest of his body, and then finally his head. Finally free from his confinement, the young man immediately began scaling the wall, triumph flooding his soul with every movement he made.

_He had done it._

He couldn't believe it…

_He had just escaped from prison._

And now all he had to do was run to the stables, grab Max, and then he would be off. From there, he'd do whatever it took to find Rapunzel and _bring her home safe._ Heck, he'd travel around the world if he had to, just to find her. He'd do anything—either save her, or die trying.

And Eugene was certain he'd do the latter in a heartbeat.

And as the young man finally reached the ground and began racing to the stables, that beautiful girl was the only thing he could think about. He wondered where she was—Maybe scared…alone…Oh, gosh, he wished somehow he could reassure her he was on his way…

_Don't worry, Blondie,_ Eugene thought, his boots pounding underneath him as he ran forward as fast as he could. _Everything's gonna be alright._

_I will find you._

_I will save you._

_I. Will. Not. Let. You. Die._

* * *

><p><strong>So I hope you guys liked it! Please review! They'll help me update faster. ;-)<strong>

**So anyway, REVIEW REPLIES!**

**Harryfan626: Lol...you're probably right. I was having trouble thinking of other words...especially since that chapter was so hard to write. But still, I'm glad you enjoyed it, nonetheless!**

**Lupineleigh: Don't worry-That didn't offend me at all. I know what you mean! And even this chapter might not have been actiony enough..but trust me-the next few chapters are PURE ACTION...Stay tuned! (What is this, a TV show? :-P)**

**An Unknown Foreign Beauty: Don't worry-No matter how much writer's block attacks me, I will NEVER abandon this story if I can help it. I have invested too much time in this story and I know how much you guys love it...Which makes me so happy! Heck, you guys keep this story going! And awwww...that's so sweet! Thanks! Good luck with your exams, too... ;-)**

**Reverend Lovejoy: Lol...you're so right about Collins compared to those other guards...Ha! But hey-If Vladimir was running full speed my way, I'd scream too! But I'm not a guard...It's acceptable. Oh, and the bit about the Captain and Maximus? I was actually _scared_ that that would seem too unrealistic! But I needed Max accessible to Eugene, so...But anyway, I'm glad you thought it sounded good! Phew! :-) Anyway, thanks!**

**kittehkitty2: Don't be surprised if I send you a PM concerning your two epic reviews! However, I'll reply as best I can here-Thanks you, thank you, THANK YOU! Gosh, you've deminished my fear about EVERYTHING I've been worried about in my writing: My fear of OOC characters, my concern for over-drawn emotion, just...The perfect story smoothie? Awwwww! You make me smile so much! I don't think you realize how much your reviews mean to me and inspire me in my writing...And don't beat up yourself, or your story! They're both amazing, so don't think for a second that your writing makes me want to put a fist through the computer! Please...only Albert does that! LOL! Okey dokey...gonna end this before it ends up being longer than the chapter. But once again, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!**

**edger230: OMG, I LOVE HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON! I'll be sure to check it out! :-)**

**KMgirl: I'm glad you don't think that's strange. I mean, I wouldn't say the Lord's name in vain anyway, but it's nice to see people support it. And thanks!**

**fryingpanninja107: I LOVE THE GAME PLAN! Sorry...That was random. But I do! Ok, so now to the review. He probably can't...But he didn't have that much screen time, really, so I just assumed he was the "strong silent type" hehehe...I'm actually probably wrong, but that's just what I thought. ;-) And that storm thing is creepy! Woah...And yeah, I did change the title. Fanfiction was being dumb so it wouldn't type out "Where is he?" with the proper quotes and question mark and stuff, so I just changed it to "Where's Rider?" and thanks for the thing about the profile pic! :-)**

**Liz McCallus: Thanks for the songs! Also, DON'T STOP WITH JUST A DREAM! Maybe you can listen to some music, think up some ideas...that always seems to work for me. If you want, you can also PM me and ask for ideas-I'll see if I can come up with something that might help. And no...I'm lame...I didn't vote... :-( I just hope everyone else did! (I'm lazy like that) lol**

**authorlili: OMG! YOU'RE RIGHT! That actually was completely unintentional...WEIRD! Omg, I can't get over that now...And shirtless Disney princes! Gahhhhhh *drools* you know the funny thing? I was actually watching Mulan before you put your review up, and I was like, GAH! Shang took his shirt off? Disney finally did something right! Lol...what happened to the good old days when Disney did stuff like that? :-P Lol**

**disneyisbeautiful: Don't worry-It's not the longest review I've ever gotten, though pretty long. But that's ok, cause I love long reviews! So now, here's my reply. :-) Number one, I actually only picked the name Robert only because it rhymed with "Snobbert"...But now I keep meeting all these people named Robert and it's so funny cause they're so nice! Lol...Uh, I didn't know Bed, Bath and Beyond sold frying pans! I guess that's in the "Beyond" section, huh? Lol...Hey, can I borrow those pillow pets some time? Maybe we can create a pillow pet army and finally get the rights to Tangled! Or...something...Heh. Hey, I understand the Tangled photo thing! I have 255, not counting the DeviantArt ones, of which I have like, a billion more. I actually think I have that Prince Caspian song on my computer! It's "This is Home," by Switchfoot, right? Oh, and I'll be sure to check out the other one. Thanks! Lol...and it sounds like you need a cough drop! ;-) lol...anyway, thanks for the review, and the cookies! Yay!**

**sunnyprincessbird: Heck yeah, kids are adorable! And thanks for the review. I understand what you mean about Eugene...It's nice to see how much he cares sometimes...It's not evil! Robert is evil! Rawr! Sorry...got carried away...I'm tired. :-)**

**WickedSong: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah...Bob. XD**

**Readythehorses: Aw, thanks! That's so sweet! And I actually have written a novel...But it's not that good. Thinking about writing another one. But that's such an awesome thought; people writing fanfiction about it one day...Makes me smile. Thanks for the compliment!**

**justlookup: Yay! Fanart! I sent you a PM about it-Thanks so much! Also, I'll be sure to check out that story! ;-)**

**smileyBAM03: The best Tangled fanfic EVER? Eep! Thanks so much!**

**Ok...sorry if these replies were sort of lame...I'm really really sleepy for some reason, so I apologize. Maybe after a nap or something, I'll start writing the next chapter! Trust me, I've got BIG plans for this one!**

**I'll try my best to update soon! Thanks for being awesome, you guys! Keep up the reviews, and thanks SO MUCH!**

**-Sheep1215**


	22. Out For the Kill

**OH. MY. GOOBER.**

**I am so sorry! It's been SOOOOO long since I've updated! I've tried-I really have...But you know life-Sorta gets crazy sometimes. And you'll notice, this chapter is INCREDIBLY long. I apologize. This whole entire writing period has been just _weird_. And you might even notice it in the chapter-For like the first half and the last part, I had incredible rushes of inspiration. But there's like this little crappy part in the middle where I was _so_ blocked, and I just forced myself through it. (Couldn't get anywhere without it!) But anyway, I'm sure you guys want to read, and since this chapter is SOOOOOO long, I'll try to keep this A/N short.**

**Although, like, two things I want to mention: Number one, fanart! The feedback has been INCREDIBLE! I've got two new fanarts to tell you guys about-Another lovely one from the wonderfully talented Silverbellsb, and an incredible new one from justlookup! Thanks to both of you, and also everyone else who's done fanart! Links are up on my page, and I am happily accepting more! THANKS THANKS THANKS!**

**Oh, and the second thing. This might make you sad, buttttt...Things are about to get beyond crazy. So, you can expect longer updates. :-( But don't worry-I'm not going to go on hiatus or abandon this story. IT'S GONNA GET DONE! And I don't think the updates are gonna take FOREVER...just warning you if they take a few days longer than they usually do. **

**Ok, I'm trying to keep this A/N short, so I'm gonna stop here. Review replies at the end! (583 reviews? I have a feeling this isn't reality...)**

***Dresses up in Minnie Mouse costume and approaches Ninja Shooter Donald***

**ME: HELLO. I AM OBVIOUSLY MINNIE MOUSE AND NOT AN IMPOSTER ATTEMPTING TO GET THE RIGHTS TO OWNING TANGLED.**

**Donald: Okey Dokey. (Random duck quack) Here you go! *Hands over rights to Tangled***

**ME: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I HAVE IT! NOW I CAN FINALLY-**

***Mickey runs in randomly***

**Mickey: OMG! MINNIE! WILL YOU MARRY MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE?**

**ME: NO! *Pulls out morph-o-ray and turns Mickey into a sheep***

**Donald: OH MY GOSH MINNIE YOU DESTROYED MICKEY! YOU ARE HEREBY BANISHED FROM DISNEY FOREVER!**

**ME: WELL I HAVE THE DOCUMENT! HAHAHAHAH-**

***Suddenly, Mickey Mou-Sheep pulls out his magical wandy thing and turns the Tangled document into a LOLLIPOP!***

**ME: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! *Donald stuffs lollipop in my mouth* Mmmmmm...this is good.**

**SO I DON'T OWN TANGLED! However, I do own a lollipop...and man, this is freakin' delicious.**

**Chapter Song: "Your Guardian Angel" by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. (It's not completely representative of the chapter, but I think the chorus fits perfect.)**

* * *

><p>Rapunzel awoke surrounded by pitch black darkness.<p>

Her whole body ached like crazy, especially her legs, which were painfully scrunched up against her chest, the skirts of her silver dress practically smothering her. But that was nothing compared to the horrible pain in the side of her head, and she tried her best to reach up her arm in her cramped state to rub against it, though that didn't help much at all. She tried to shift a bit, but then her heart froze as she realized she could barely even move—all around her, she was swallowed by coarse, scratchy fabric, and she could sense something was moving her. Again, she tried. No luck. Her eyes widened even more as she tried to take in a deep breath but the only thing that filled her lungs was stifling, practically suffocating air.

A bag. She was in a bag.

As soon as Rapunzel came to that realization, fear sliced through her body. But—wait, how—

Suddenly, it all came back to her. The ball…Pushing Robert into the refreshment table, the Stabbingtons, bursting into the ballroom and demanding to know where Eugene was…and…ugh…The last thing she remembered was Logan's huge fist heading towards her head. He must have knocked her out…And then they shoved her in here. Fright surging through her even more, her eyes began darting about the small capacity of the dark bag, trying desperately to find some kind of escape. How long had she been unconscious? How far away had they taken her from the ballroom? Where were they now? And…How much longer would she last in here? It was already getting hard to breathe…What if they didn't let her out in time? What if they didn't let her out…at all?

Rapunzel's breaths grew short and rapid at the thought, and, consumed with fear, she decided she couldn't stay in here one more second. Immediately, she let instinct take over, and began jostling, kicking, and clawing at the bag with all her might. Her only thought? Escape. She had to get out of there!

Adrenaline surging through her body, she fought with everything she had, not even stopping when she heard the muffled voices of the brothers through the thick fabric. The bag was well-made—and it didn't show even the slightest sign of ripping anytime soon, but that didn't stop the princess. Shrieking now, just in case anyone was nearby to hear her, she fought viciously against her confinements, in a desperate struggle to break free…

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hard force slammed against her side, and Rapunzel let out a cry of pain as all the wind was knocked out of her. A muffled "Shut up," came from outside of the bag, and Rapunzel reluctantly obeyed, clenching her throbbing side as she realized one of the brothers must have just punched her. She flinched in pain as the bag was roughly jerked upward, and then she felt herself moving again. As her efforts were suddenly cut short, tears began to prick at her eyes as she realized the sheer hopelessness of the situation. There she was, trapped painfully inside a stifling hot bag by two murderers taking her to who knew where. She clutched her side tighter, not just because of the pain but because of the bit of security it seemed to offer her. She was all alone…No one was here to help, not even Pascal. Her parents were all the way back in Corona, Eugene was in prison, and Robert…

Rapunzel's whole being flooded with anger and betrayal. _Robert._

After all this time of bragging about how brave and tough he was, he didn't even make an _attempt_ to save her! Even when she had stared him dead in the eyes and _pleaded_ for his help…He had looked straight at her…And ran. The mere thought sent a stray tear flowing down Rapunzel's cheek. Even if he had never done anything good for her again, _that_ was when she had needed him. And he had completely abandoned her.

Eugene...

Eugene would never have done that.

But, as much as Rapunzel would have loved for it to be so, Eugene hadn't been there. That amazing man; her rescuer, her savior, her _everything_…was locked away like an animal in a cage and sentenced to rot there, _miserable _and _alone_, for the rest of his life. Once again, a tear flowed down her cheek. Aside from her parents, Pascal, and Maximus, it seemed as if Eugene was the only person on this earth who truly cared about her. He didn't _deserve_ this! She stifled a sob as she remembered the horrible scars on his back. He had saved her life…and that was how he was repaid? Life just wasn't fair…It wasn't fair that Eugene had been imprisoned for a crime he hadn't even committed. It wasn't fair that Rapunzel was forced to experience one of the most monumental moments of her life—her first ball—with a snobbish jerk who didn't even care about her safety, much less her feelings. It wasn't fair that, after all they'd been through together, she and Eugene were now miles apart, and Rapunzel's _life _was now at stake because of it. If Eugene had been there…Things definitely would have been different. He wouldn't have let them take her…He wouldn't let them hurt her, like they were now…Because…

_He loved her_.

Rapunzel wondered if Eugene had heard by now about her kidnapping. And right now…It didn't look like there was much hope of rescue. Rapunzel shuddered with sobs, even more tears streaming down her face. She knew how it felt to lose the one you loved…It was almost as if life just…wasn't worth living. And to have Eugene go through that, if something happened to her tonight…Oh, gosh…Rapunzel had no clue how she could deal with knowing that that grief might very well consume him…

…Soon.

Suddenly, Rapunzel was snapped out of her thoughts as she felt herself falling for a brief second, and then she harshly slammed against the ground. Before she could even comprehend what was going on, the top of the bag was ripped open, and the princess took in a deep breath as cool, fresh nighttime air filled her lungs. However, the moment of relief didn't last long, as one of the Stabbingtons grabbed her arm and yanked her from the bag, tossing the scratchy brown sack aside. Immediately, she tried to break free, but that just caused the Stabbington—whom Rapunzel could make out as Logan in the moonlight—to yank back even harder on her arm and grab the other, pinning them both behind her back. In that split second, Rapunzel tried her best to take in her surroundings: The only things she could make out were trees—she seemed to be in some kind of clearing in the forest. Which meant she was miles away from civilization…miles away from escape…miles from rescue…from help…

She had to get out of there.

"Let—me—go!" Rapunzel commanded, trying her best to rip away. However, when she saw she was getting nowhere, her command became a plea. "_Please!_"

Instead of letting her go, Logan only gripped her wrists tighter, and the princess watched fearfully as Luther came into view, chuckling to himself with his intimidating sword gripped tightly in his hand.

"Now, why the heck would we want to do that?" Luther grinned sinisterly as he approached her, and Rapunzel shrunk back as best she could, though Logan's brawny body pretty much stopped her from shying away at all. Her heartbeat pounded furiously inside her chest, and her jade green eyes widened fearfully as Luther moved his face only inches away from hers. "After all, it's not every day we have _royalty _in our possession."

"What do you want from me?" though she tried her best to look strong, Rapunzel's voice came out as a shaky whisper.

"Oh," Luther chuckled, "it's not what we want from _you_, Princess…It's what we want from that pretty little boyfriend of yours."

Rapunzel swallowed and her eyes widened even more. _Eugene…_

When the princess didn't reply, Luther's grin disappeared and his grip tightened on the handle of his sword. "Now, Princess, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, and trust me—" Rapunzel let out a cry as Luther harshly grabbed the front of her dress with his free hand and yanked her forward. "—I'm good with both."

Rapunzel's wide eyes locked onto Luther's, and the fire in them told the princess that the man meant exactly what he said…

"Now you listen, and you listen good," Luther snarled, the grip on her collar tightening with every word, "_Where…is…Rider?_"

"What do you want with him?" Rapunzel demanded, newfound courage flooding through her. If they were even _thinking_ about hurting Eugene…

The grin returned on Luther's face. "We got…a repayment, you might say," he chuckled. "Pretty-boy double-crossed us one too many times…Sent us to prison and nearly got us _hanged_, I might add, while he was all up in the castle livin' it up with the Princess like nuthin' ever happened. Well, guess what? He practically ended our lives…We're simply returnin' the favor. Just…" he chuckled again, "without the 'practically' part."

Rapunzel let out a gasp as images of the Stabbingtons' plans for Eugene flooded her mind, and anger surged through her at the fact that these _animals_ would even want to do something like that to him. She lunged forward best she could, ignoring the pain as Logan clenched on her wrists even tighter. "Don't even _think_ about hurting him! I'll _never_ tell you where he is!"

"Oh, I think you will," Luther grinned, stabbing his sword into the grass. "One way…or another."

Rapunzel's eyes snapped towards Luther's sword, and back to the sideburned man's sickening grin. Her breaths became fearful and shallow, and her heart began the furious rhythm again, but she quickly willed away the fear. She meant what she said. She would _not_ tell them Eugene's whereabouts.

"_No_," the princess said firmly, through gritted teeth.

For an instant, Luther's grin disappeared, but then, after a moment of contemplation, the grin spread across his face once again, making Rapunzel's stomach churn uneasily. Still, the jade green fire in her eyes refused to die down, even as the tall, threatening man moved in close to her once again, the menacing grin unrelenting.

"Fine," he sneered, moving in so close to the princess's face that he nearly spat on her, "guess if you won't bring us to Rider, then you'll call him here _yourself!_"

Before Rapunzel could react, Luther grabbed her shoulder and whirled her around, forcing her down, face-first, into the dirt. As the princess tried to recover from the impact against the hard ground, Luther jabbed a knee into her back, painfully pinning her down. Then, without warning, he grabbed one of her arms, and Rapunzel let out a shriek of pain as he agonizingly twisted it behind her back, chuckling as he relished in the princess's suffering.

"How 'bout now, _Princess?_" Luther spat, watching as the young woman tearfully tried to break free. "Just tell us where he is, and then it'll all be over…"

"Please…" Rapunzel pleaded as Luther wrenched her arm back even further. "Please, _stop_! It—It hurts…"

"All you gotta do is call him, sweetheart," Luther chuckled, "either that, or _tell us where he is!_ _NOW!_"

Tears streamed down her face and a whimper of pain escaped her lips as Luther kept her arm painfully twisted, but, scrunching her eyes tight, she furiously shook her head. "N—no."

Rapunzel couldn't see Luther's reaction, but the silence coming from behind her wasn't a very good sign. Suddenly, Rapunzel felt her arm being twisted backwards even more, and another cry of pain burst from her as she desperately tried to break free.

"Logan," Luther barked, paying no heed to the struggling, tearstained girl, "show this stubborn little ratthat we mean _business_."

Before Rapunzel could comprehend what was going on, Logan's boot flew out of nowhere and slammed against her face, and she cried out as a whole explosion of pain erupted against her skull. Trying her best to shake off the dizziness, Rapunzel once again scrunched up her eyes tight, wishing this could all just be over…

However, her silent pleas were met only with another searing pain behind her, as Luther grabbed her _other_ arm and wrenched it backwards. Sobbing from the excruciating pain, Rapunzel felt any second now that the huge man was going to tear one of her limbs off. Her face hurt, her arms hurt…her whole body was on _fire_…

"And it only gets worse from here, Princess!" Luther snarled in her ear. "How 'bout that?"

"No—No, please, please _stop_!" Rapunzel pleaded in a shriek. "_Please!_ Stop! N—No more!"

"You want it to stop?" Luther chuckled, still right up against her ear. "Well then…_TELL US WHERE HE IS!_"

Luther's booming voice nearly blew Rapunzel's eardrum, and she cried out again as Logan's boot slammed down on the free part of her back. Rapunzel couldn't remember a time when she had been in this much physical pain…and all she had to do was say Eugene was back in Corona…Back in jail…and this could all go away…

But _no._ Through all the excruciating pain…through all the agony…Rapunzel knew, deep down inside, that if the Stabbingtons knew Eugene was in jail, they'd find a way to get to him and kill him somehow—She was sure of it. And she could _not_ let that happen. They could torture her as much as they wanted to…But she would never tell. _Never. _Heck, nothing would compare to the torture of knowing that she had led them straight to Eugene…She couldn't let that happen.

"_No,_" Rapunzel said firmly, tensing as she knew the brothers' reactions weren't going to be pretty…

"You _worthless _little _brat_!" Luther growled, and Rapunzel could only scream as he violently grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her upwards. Within seconds, Logan had hold of her arms again, and the two brothers dragged the struggling young woman over to a tree, brutally slamming her against it. Whirling her around, Logan wrapped her arms behind her, around the tree, and practically broke her wrists holding them in place behind the trunk of the tree. Heart pounding, Rapunzel desperately tried to break away, but she could only watch as Luther let go of her hair and walked over to where his sword was still thrust into the ground. A murderous expression on his face, he yanked the sword out of the dirt and approached the terrified princess, his fists clenched and breaths raspy with anger.

"How…about…_now_?" Luther asked, and within seconds, the sword was at Rapunzel's throat. Rapunzel froze immediately, scarcely able to breathe as the sharp blade dug into her neck. Her heart pounded so furiously, she thought it was going to explode, and the only thing she could do was look fearfully at Luther, who seemed satisfied by her sudden terror.

"Be best if you tell us, Princess…" Luther grinned evilly. "I've been told I'm quite an expert with this sword."

Rapunzel let out a frightened whimper, her breaths coming in short, terrified gasps. She was an inch away from death—and she knew it, too. But she couldn't tell them about Eugene…she couldn't…But now it was literally a matter of life and death…Oh, gosh…she was petrified.

"Please…" she begged, her voice no more than a tremulous whisper as she felt the cold, sharp blade scratch even deeper against her throat. "Please, don't…"

"All you gotta do is tell us where Rider is, sweetheart," Luther grinned, moving in even closer to Rapunzel's face. But then, his grin disappeared, and he tightened his grip on the sword, shoving it even more firmly against her neck. "Or we'll slash your pretty little throat open and see if royals really _do_ have blue blood."

Luther's threat only sent a whole new wave of fear washing over the princess, and her terrified eyes darted downwards, to what she could see of the sword, and then back up to Luther, who was impatiently waiting for an answer. She was afraid to even breathe, now…and her heart was about ready to burst from her chest. Knowing that the seconds were ticking away, she desperately racked her brain for a way out of this. She could always lie…But she'd been told by countless people that she was a terrible liar. And plus, considering all the times that Eugene had tricked them, Rapunzel was pretty sure that the brothers could tell truth from lies by now. No, that wouldn't work. She could give in…after all, Eugene was in jail. What really could they do to him there? No, but that would just be betraying Eugene, and knowing the Stabbingtons, they'd find a way to get to him, one way or another. Well, there was only one more option:

She could refuse.

Rapunzel knew refusing meant death. By the look in Luther's eyes, it was just obvious. He meant what he said, and he wouldn't hesitate in killing her right there and then if she refused to cooperate. But if she revealed Eugene's location, it would no doubt spell death for him. It was her life, or his. And no matter how terrified she was, Rapunzel _would not_ betray him. She could never do that. She'd do whatever it took to keep him alive. Even dying…Right here, right now.

Finally making up her mind, Rapunzel took in one last deep breath, mustered up every ounce of courage she had, and drilled her eyes into Luther's, shooting him her fiercest glare.

"_No._"

At that one word, Luther's whole grin melted away into a scowl of fiery rage, and he clenched the handle of the sword so tightly, Rapunzel thought he would break it. In that instant, he jammed the blade roughly against the princess's throat, and Rapunzel let out a petrified cry as she shut her eyes tight, knowing very well what was coming next.

"You think I'm jokin', don't you, Princess," she heard Luther snarl from behind her closed eyes. "Well, then…joke's over. We can find him without you. And when we do, we'll be sure to tell 'em you said hi," Rapunzel shuddered as she felt Luther's breath against her neck, and his horrifying voice came as a whisper in her ear. "Right before we slit his throat."

"No…" Rapunzel pleaded, eyes still shut tight. "No!"

"Time's up," Luther chuckled, ignoring the princess's cries. "Say goodbye, Princ—"

_CLANG!_

A sharp noise broke through the horrifying moment, and immediately, Rapunzel heard a loud _thud_ and no longer felt the sword against her neck, instead hearing it as it clattered to the ground. A muttered "What the—" came from behind her, but Logan's voice was abruptly cut off as another _CLANG_ echoed through the night, and instantly, the grip on her wrists disappeared. As soon as the grip on her wrists loosened, the confused princess's eyes flew open, and she let out a horrified gasp at the sight of Luther right before her feet, his unconscious body lying, unmoving, on the ground. Shocked by the unexpected sight, she quickly stumbled backwards, suddenly tripping over a root of the tree and tumbling to the ground, her wide, distressed eyes still stuck on Luther. Suddenly, she felt the uneasy feeling that she was being watched, and her gaze jerked to the right. Her heart froze as she spotted a dark figure standing in the shadows, and, as soon as she caught sight of it, she let out a shriek and instantly ducked down, covering her head and shutting her eyes tight. If this mysterious person had already taken out Luther and Logan…

"Please," Rapunzel whimpered, curling up into a ball and praying the person would just go away. "Please, don't hurt me…"

Rapunzel shrunk back even more as soon as she felt a hand on her shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut even tighter. However, she was surprised by how gentle the contact was, but still, she didn't trust it. What if it was all a trick, and as soon as she let her guard down, the person would—

"Blondie…"

Wait. Rapunzel let out a gasp. _Could it be?_

"Blondie, look at me," a gentle hand caressed her cheek, and Rapunzel's eyes flew open, her arms falling from her head and her gaze snapping upwards. Pulling herself out of her bent position and whirling around, her eyes widened instantly at the figure she saw in front of her.

_No… _she thought, unable to say a word, she was so overcome with astonishment. _This is impossible!_ Was the dark playing tricks on her? Was she dreaming? _Was she already dead?_ Or…was this really and truly…

"Eugene!" she cried, propelling herself into his arms. She gripped at him as if he would suddenly evaporate, and he held her just as tightly, wrapping his strong arms around her as she buried her face into his vest. Suddenly, the trauma of what had just happened only seconds ago slammed against her like a brick. The horrible terror of her near-death at the hands of the Stabbingtons clashed with the overwhelming relief of seeing Eugene, and the two emotions crashed inside of her like a vicious storm. The rain from that storm came in the form of tears, and within seconds, Rapunzel found herself sobbing uncontrollably, clutching fearfully at Eugene's vest.

"Hey, hey, Rapunzel, shh…" that heavenly voice comforted her, though for some reason, she just couldn't stop sobbing. "I'm here, now, Blondie…It's ok…"

Her body still racked with sobs, but deep down inside, Rapunzel wished she could express how grateful she was for his presence.

"Eugene…" she sobbed, clutching him even tighter for fear he would disappear. "They were so close…If—If you hadn't shown up…They—They would have—They—" The chilling memories overwhelming her once again, Rapunzel broke down, unable to even finish her sentence. She felt Eugene's arms wrap even tighter around her, and she didn't even try to prevent the tears. If it was anybody else who had been her rescuer, she would have tried her best to hold back the tears, but right now, all she needed was some comfort, and she knew that Eugene would be willing to let her cry on his shoulder, if that was what she required.

Once again, she couldn't be more thankful for that.

"Rapunzel, it's ok…It's all over. You're safe now," Eugene soothed, gently rubbing the sobbing girl's head. "Everything's gonna be alright…Everything's gonna be fine. Shh…I'm not going anywhere. It's ok…"

Subconsciously, Eugene began to gently rock her back and forth in his embrace, whispering comforting words until her sobs finally subsided. With one last sniffle, she finally let go of him, and pulled back far enough so she could gaze into his eyes. Oh, how she had longed to see those gorgeous amber eyes…

Rapunzel wiped the remaining misty tears from her eyes, just overjoyed to see Eugene again. Suddenly, she froze. Wait—Something wasn't right here. "Eugene," Rapunzel asked, completely astounded. "What did you—I mean, how did you—"

"Look, Rapunzel, I know you probably have a lot of questions," Eugene interrupted, taking her hand. "And I promise to explain all of them later. But right now, we _have_ to get out of here."

Rapunzel stole a fearful glance at Luther, who was still lying, unmoving, on the ground. "But—"

"Rapunzel, listen to me," Eugene said urgently, gently directing her face towards him. "Any second now, they could wake up. And when that happens, I want you to be far away. We can't waste any time. We have to move, _now_."

Rapunzel took one last look at the two unconscious men behind her, and realized that Eugene was right—they didn't have a second to waste. She nodded vigorously, finally understanding the urgency of the situation. Gripping Eugene's hand and looking over her shoulder one last time, Rapunzel finally allowed Eugene to lead her into the forest, their walk hastening into a quick jog.

"Where are we going?" Rapunzel asked once they were deep in the forest, her hand still clenched tightly in Eugene's. She didn't want to let go—not for a second.

"Max is just through these trees," Eugene answered, gesturing forward with the frying pan. "Had to leave him there so I could sneak up on the Stabbingtons. But don't worry—He's not that far from here. And once we get to him, we can take you home."

_Home_. The word had never sounded so beautiful to Rapunzel.

"Thank you, Eugene," Rapunzel gave his hand a gentle squeeze as gratitude flooded her body. "You saved my life."

Eugene stopped in his tracks, gazing into Rapunzel's eyes with a small smile on his face.

"No problem," he said quietly. "I'm just…I'm so glad you're safe."

"And I'm so glad you're _here_," Rapunzel replied, still unable to believe that Eugene was finally out of those prisons, and right here, with her, holding her hand. Her heart soared at the thought. It was remarkable…

Suddenly, Eugene froze, and the smile vanished from his face. Rapunzel was about to speak up, but the young man motioned for quiet, his eyes intently searching the area. Rapunzel obeyed, and began listening closely as well. Suddenly, her heart froze at a faint sound in the distance, and by the look on Eugene's face, he heard it too. Just then, the noise came a second time, but this time, it seemed to be right behind them, reverberating off of the trees and booming like thunder.

"_Rider!_"

"Run!" Eugene yelled immediately, putting a hand on Rapunzel's back and driving her forward. Rapunzel immediately began racing ahead, her heart pounding vigorously in her chest as her feet flew underneath her. Kicking off the shoes that were hindering her running, she charged forward even faster, as the shouts of the Stabbingtons echoed threateningly behind her. Heaving with breaths, she suddenly noticed Eugene no longer at her side, and stole a glance over her shoulder to spot him running right behind her. However, she tripped in the process, nearly tumbling to the ground.

"Don't look back!" Eugene shouted. "No matter what—just keep going!"

Rapunzel listened to his warning and turned her gaze back in front of her, panting heavily as she ran like she never had before. Inside her chest, her heart pounded like a drum, but she just urged herself forward even more, her now-bare feet slamming against the earth underneath her. Behind her, she thought she heard a thud, but she heeded Eugene's advice and didn't look back, not for a second. She couldn't risk the Stabbingtons catching her again…

She was terrified.

_Just a little while longer, just a little while longer,_ Rapunzel told herself, already detecting that she was beginning to tire. Her running didn't cease, but she still had seen no sign of Maximus. Winding back and forth through the labyrinthine forest of trees, Rapunzel still didn't look back—not until she realized that she could no longer hear the Stabbingtons' voices behind her.

Skidding to a halt, Rapunzel leaned against a tree, trying to catch her breath as she listened intently for the Stabbingtons. _Nothing_. Her heart soared; they were gone! Now all she and Eugene had to do was find Maximus.

"Eugene, where—" Rapunzel whirled around, but stopped mid-sentence as she realized no one was behind her. Peering through the trees, just in case she might have missed him in the darkness, uneasiness churned in her stomach as she realized that he wasn't there.

_Eugene was gone._

"Eugene?" Rapunzel called in a whisper, trying her best to stay quiet just in case the brothers were closer than she thought. However, after no reply, she cupped her hands around her mouth, her voice still quiet, but now laced with desperation. "Eugene!"

She waited a moment, listening intently for a reply, but none came.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel's voice escalated as she immediately began running back the way they came, the anxiety threatening to drown her. Her heart began thundering within her once again with every passing second. Where was he?

Pretty soon, she was racing blindly through the trees, her frantic eyes darting every which way as she desperately searched for her love. Not even trying to keep quiet anymore, she called out to him, praying that his voice would suddenly appear after each cry. But the seconds ticked on…Nothing.

"_Eugene!_" Rapunzel yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth once again. "_Eugene!_" Silence answered her, and she fearfully wrapped her arms around herself. Where on earth was he? This was like the night she had gone searching for him in the storm…But this time, it was much worse, because he most likely hadn't run away from her willingly.

_Something was wrong._

"_Eugene!_" she called again, on the verge of tears. "Euge—"

Suddenly, a familiar voice filled her ears, and she let out a gasp, instantly quieting herself. She recognized the voice immediately, but it wasn't Eugene…

It was one of the Stabbingtons.

At first, Rapunzel froze at the sound of the voice, not sure whether to run or hide. But, just then, another quiet noise pierced through the darkness, and Rapunzel let out a gasp as she heard Eugene's voice, firm and angry, break through the night. Immediately, she raced in the direction of the voices, the conversation growing more and more audible the closer she got to the group. Finally, she caught sight of them and ducked behind a tree, eyes wide, as she surveyed the scene before her: Luther was standing before Eugene, whose arms were being bound behind him by Logan, his sword positioned at Eugene's throat. Eugene's fiery eyes glared into Luther's, despite the deadly weapon before him ready for the kill. Rapunzel clasped a hand over her mouth, frozen with fear, and it took everything she had to restrain herself as she watched the scene unfold.

"Drop the pan, Rider," Luther snarled, gripping the sword even tighter. "_Now._"

Eugene's furious eyes didn't leave Luther's for a second, and after a moment, he opened his palm and let the frying pan in his hand clatter to the ground, Logan shoving it away with his foot.

"Now then," Luther chuckled, letting the sword fall. "Well, well, well, Rider…Long time, no see."

"Look, I don't know what you want with me," Eugene said sternly, his eyes still full of the amber flame. "If—If you want me to steal something, or—or—Whatever. I'm not that person anymore, so don't even try."

"Oh, right," Luther grinned, holding up his sword and watching as it gleamed in the moonlight. "I hear you're goin' by a new name now…Eugene, is it? Not very attractive, huh…I don't see you gettin' many ladies with that one."

Logan, usually the quiet one, spoke up, his voice low and gravelly as he grinned sinisterly. "It got him _one_."

"Ah, right, the princess," Eugene's eyes flashed with hatred at the mere mention of Rapunzel from the lips of those monsters. "I gotta hand it to you, _Eugene_," Luther grinned evilly, leaning in close to Eugene's face. "You really got yourself a looker. And are we going to have some _fun_ with her…"

Rapunzel gasped, shrinking back even more behind the tree. She wasn't quite sure what they meant by _fun_, but the way Luther said it sent chills down her spine.

"Don't even _think_ about touching her!" Eugene yelled, lunging forwards towards Luther the best he could. However, Logan's grip was too tight, and Luther simply laughed as the enraged young man struggled to break free.

"Oh, believe me," Luther cracked his knuckles, and behind the tree, Rapunzel flinched. "We plan to do _much _worse than that."

"Don't you dare—" once again, Eugene angrily struggled against Logan's grip, and Luther ignored him, smiling as he turned back to his sword.

"But first things first," Luther growled, a sadistic grin on his face. His gaze snapped back to the brown-haired young man, and his grip tightened on the handle of the sword. "We're going to _kill_ you, Rider. Slowly…"

Without warning, Luther took his sword and dug it into Eugene's shoulder, and Rapunzel could only watch in horror as he slowly dragged the tip downwards, Eugene gasping out in pain as Luther left a nasty gash down the top of his arm.

"Painfully…" Luther drug out the word, grinning with satisfaction as Eugene collapsed to his knees in pain, the blood already beginning to soak his shirt around the wound.

Rapunzel's eyes widened in fear, and she gripped on the tree, trying her best to hold herself back. Her soul was _screaming_ at her to run in there and do something, but she knew that Eugene wouldn't want her to be in the midst of that. But still, she couldn't just stand here and do nothing! But somehow, she restrained herself, barely able to breathe as she observed the sight before her.

"I—I don't _care_," Eugene's voice was firm, but still breathless from pain, and Rapunzel's heart cried out every time he flinched. "Do what—whatever you want with me…But—ugh—I swear, if you lay one _finger_ on Rapunzel, I'll—"

"You'll what?" Luther scoffed. "It's pretty hard for a dead man to do _anything_." Luther leaned in close to Eugene's face, the grin spreading across his face once again. "And once you're gone, _trust me_…we're gonna find her. And we're gonna do things to her you can't even _imagine_. And then, when we've had our fun…" Eugene's breaths became rough with anger as Luther made a throat slitting motion with his finger. "Quick and easy. And there's nuthin' you can do about—"

_POW!_

Rapunzel gasped as Eugene, overcome with fury, ripped his uninjured arm away from Logan's grasp and fiercely slammed his fist into the side of Luther's face. In an instant, Logan grabbed his arm and wrenched it backwards once again, but Luther still stood, frozen, overcome with shock at the sudden right hook, and his face went red with anger. Taking in a deep breath through his nose, he turned menacingly towards Eugene, and Rapunzel shivered at how chillingly calm his voice sounded.

"You know, _Eugene_," he growled, "earlier, I was lookin' forward to seein' you sent to the gallows. But I think _this_…will be much more pleasurable."

And Rapunzel could only watch, frozen with terror, as Luther's huge hands lunged forward, and found their place…

…Wringing Eugene's neck.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry-Worst cliffhanger ever, I know!<strong>

**I'M SO EVIL!**

**So, review replies!**

**Reverend Lovejoy**: Thanks! You know, I was actually really scared that the escape scene was going to be too predictable…Like, everyone would think, "Oh, he can't be caught, he has to get out, blah blah blah blah blah", so I'm glad I actually had that uncertainty in there.

**KMgirl**: Heck yeah! I think we should form a line…then tie Robert up and all take turns punching him.

**fryingpanninja107**: PHINEAS AND FERB! Did you see the movie? I did. LOVED IT! And I'm glad you liked the chapter—Lol…It would have been cute if Pascal used his tail to pick the lock! But what if it got stuck…OW! Lol

**dreaminsapphire**: lol—thanks for the tip! I'll be sure to try out the costume or something…and Eugene-to-Robert violence would be nice. Then again, rabid wolverine-to-Robert violence would be good, too… ;-)

**EdwardBellaAndSasuSaku4Eva**: THE TCAs WERE MESSED UP! (though it was funny to see Zach Levi in nerd shorts :-P) I can not BELIEVE Rango beat FLYNN FREAKIN RIDER! Grrrrr…but, on a brighter note, thanks for the compliment! Oh, and thanks for the cookie! M&M are my favorite—how did you know?

**disneyisbeautiful**: BWAHHAHAHAHAAH! I _loved_ Gothel's "alternate" song…And I actually raised my hand when I read that…Hehehe! And yeah, you're right, it would have made more sense for the Stabbingtons to be hanged…Uh…um…HOLD THAT THOUGHT! *Runs and hides* Yeah, I got nothin'. But anyway, thanks! Oh, and P.S., your dance sounds EPIC. I need to learn it. AND I WANT A PLUSH PASCAL! Tell him I say hi back and give him a hug for me!

**MMShadowWolf**: Yeah, I did notice there were quite a few in here. Sorry! But I'm glad you liked it nonetheless. Thanks for the constructive criticism. It's always nice to have a few tips to help my writing!

**authorlilli**: Thanks for the song suggestions! And yes...what happened to the good old days? Aladdin and Mulan _are_ some of the best Disney movies (behind Tangled, of course), along with most of the movies from the Disney Renissance. I really wish Disney made movies like that still...Back when they weren't afraid to have serious storylines and everything didn't have to be all comedic every second.

**kittehkitty2**: Lol...I can imagine you freaking out right now cause of this chapter...Like I said, I'm so evil, aren't I? But thanks for all the compliments! And that Hogwarts comment made me die laughing...Along with the old spice thing! I SO BET HE DOES! Don't you want to hug him right now? You know, since he's being...stangled...and all? Hehehe...please don't kill me!

**Liz McCallus**: Yep! I saw that too! Unfortunately, I found out afterwards that Zach didn't win... (Lost to Rango-GRRRRR!) but it was still epic to see him on the show! And HOMELESS HEART? OMG! I LOVE THAT SONG SO MUCH! Seriously-it's one of my favorites. In fact, I think I'll listen to it right now! :-) Thanks for the review!

**Artemetis**: That was actually a good idea-But I think I got your review after I already started writing. Sorry-But that was a really good idea! But later, I'll end up explaining how Eugene found Punzie in the forest.

**RadosianStar**: Sorry! I have this bad habit of leaving cliffhangers! I guess suspense is just my style...Sorry! But I'm glad you're still enjoying the story. :-)

**Silverbellsb**: The greatest fanfic on earth? Awwwww! AND. I. LOVED. YOUR. FANART. It was so cute! Thanks!

**Rainbowed-Sunned-Spirit**: You know, I actually feel like I made everyone cry _too much_! But it seems like you guys are still enjoying it. I hope everyone's not OOC! Thanks a lot for the review! AND NOT A ROBERT FANGIRL! NOOOOO! lol

**The Princess of Destiny**: The magical world of WIKIPEDIA! Lol...I'm weird like that.

**Hey Jessi**: Awwww! Thanks! That would be incredible! (And I love your profile picture!)

**Arystin Cassandra Tangled fan**: I LOVE MY IMMORTAL! Seriously-If you look on my profile, you'll see I love Evanescence, and that's one of my favorite songs by them. And yes, there is NO ONE ON EARTH LIKE EUGENE! lol...I feel sorry for your brother! Hehehe...and thanks so much! I'm glad the chapter songs are fitting too...I was worried they weren't. Thanks for the review!

**Wheels4TheOneTrueGod**: Aw! Thank you so much! And awwwww! Sorry about the doctor's! Thanks for the constructive critisism-I read over the story and I did notice that. There are a few things I have trouble with when I come to writing, and I think that's one of the things. Thanks for helping me see that-I'll be sure to be more careful next time. And getting published (not specifically this, but, something) is my DREAM! "I've got a dream, I'VE GOT A DREAM-" Sorry. But thanks so much! And as for the wedding, I know it's in Spring 2012...but not sure of the exact date. But as soon as I find out, I'll let you guys know!

**Clarisse**: Omg, I LOVE hearing that you sent it to your friends! That makes me happy! And as for the cliffhanger issue...sorry, bad habit! I know what you're talking about, and I'll try to resist next time...(Heh...sorry about this one too) but thanks for the review!

**(Sorry...some of the underlines aren't working.)**

**Thanks to all you guys for reviews! Please keep 'em up! They're all so inspiring! Fanart, too-I love it!**

**Sorry about the evil chapter of evilness with the evil ending... :-P**

**More soon! I'll try my best to get a new chapter up quick, but no promises...**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Sheep1215**


	23. If We Go

**IT'S FINALLY DONEEEEEEEEE!**

**No, not the story. Just this stupid chapter. And by stupid, I mean, uh...stupid. I am so angry at myself right now, for various reasons:**

**1. I feel really bad for leaving you guys with that evil cliffhanger.**

**2. I took FOREVER, and I feel horrible about that-I know how it feels to wait forever for an update**

**3. THIS. CHAPTER. SUCKS.**

**Remember how I said in like, previous chapters how the future chapters would always get in my mind and get in the way of what I was currently supposed to be writing (Sorry, that sentence seemed really confusing)? Well, this was always the chapter that distracted me from the others. And then I get here, ANNNNNNNNDDDDDD...I find out I have too many plot holes and I have to change the end of this chapter at the last second. It was horrible and I think this chapter is as well. You know, I was watching Tangled today, and while the movie is great inspiration, it also reveals how out of character everyone is in this story. Personally, I think I made Rapunzel too helpless, Eugene too, uh, not-funny/NOT-EUGENE-LIKE, and the whole thing just too dark and random.**

**I'm not liking myself right now...**

**Hopefully the next chapters turn out better. And quicker. I'm so sorry! Another reason I've been really out of the writing realm lately is just, so much has been going on that I've been distracted for weeks on end. It's been awful. I've been carrying around a little blue tiny composition book (which is printed upside-down...weird) and scribbling down stuff in that, and that's basically been the extent of all my ATRM writing. But then I typed this up and some parts turned out pretty good, but the ending is just-UGH. I HATE IT.**

**But I have a feeling I'm going to like writing the next chapter...I'VE GOT SOME EPIC IDEAS!**

**If I ever get inspiration and/or time to write...**

**I do want to thank God for those little moments of inspiration I've gotten during this, though. :-)**

**Oh, well. Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it, nonetheless. I couldn't even find a good chapter song for it. Oh, well. I'm lazy like that. :-/**

**Oh, and one last thing before we start! I know I've got plenty of fanart up on my page, but I'm still accepting more, if you guys want to do it. And even if drawing is not your speciality, it doesn't have to be _that_ kind of art, exactly. I'll take anything: Drawings, digital art, comics, videos, even audiobooks-Just as long as you guys still want to do it. Whatever you like! And I want to give a special shout out to everyone who's already sent me fanart! Love you guys!**

**GAH. That's a lot of reviews. :-)**

**Ok. I'm gonna start now.**

***Sighs* I'm so depressed about the failness (is that a word? O.o) of Chapter 23, I'm not even going to attempt to steal the rights to Tangled today...**

**Jerry: Really?**

**Me: NO. *Pulls out duck shooter gun and shoots Jerry in the nose with a duck, which causes him to drop the Tangled document, which I hereby swipe up***

**Dora: SWIPER, NO SWIPING! SWIPER, NO-**

**Me: GO AWAY. *Shoots Dora with duck***

***Opens tube holding Tangled document to find:**

**FLYNN RIDER!**

**He hops out and gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring and asks Sheep1215 to marry him and-***

**Oops. I'm getting carried away.**

**Yeah...I don't own Tangled. Not even in my imaginary world. :-(**

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><p><em>Eugene couldn't breathe.<em>

He hadn't expected Luther's hands to lunge for his throat like that, but in an instant, there they were, clasped tightly around his neck, and Eugene's air had suddenly been cut off. The young man felt his eyes widen as he tried to breathe, to no avail. Despite his efforts, Luther's hands were practically _crushing_ his windpipe, blocking off every breath of air Eugene so desperately tried to choke down. Within seconds, Eugene began getting more and more desperate for air, and the burly man knew it, too, chuckling as strangled noises came from Eugene's throat.

_No air…no air!_

Logan released Eugene's hands, and immediately, Eugene took that opportunity to lunge forward and try to strike Luther, but he was unsuccessful, as Luther was holding Eugene a safe distance. Once Eugene realized his struggles were getting nowhere, his hands then flew to his neck, frantically trying to tear away the iron grip around his throat, despite the searing pain in his shoulder. However, despite Eugene's efforts, Luther just squeezed tighter, painfully lifting Eugene up by his neck. The young man kicked in mid-air, desperately trying to break free and _breathe_, but nothing worked. By then, his lungs were _screaming_ for air, and another choked noise escaped from him. _He needed air!_

Luther clenched his teeth in a satisfied grin, tightening his grip on Eugene's neck even more. Still kicking frantically and tearing at the hands around his throat, the young man's desperation began to escalate as he realized that his strength was beginning to ebb away. Before long, his eyelids began to droop as he desperately tried to choke down air that refused to enter his lungs, and bright lights danced in front of his eyes, growing brighter and brighter with every passing second he was denied oxygen.

_He was going to die._

_No—_ Eugene thought, his head pounding and his lungs about to _burst_, _Can't breathe—Can't—_

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do this, Rider!" Luther chuckled, squeezing Eugene's throat as tightly as he could. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to see…you…_dead_!"

"_No!_"

The sudden shout came out of nowhere, and in his surprise, Luther whirled around, letting go of Eugene's neck. In an instant, the young man fell to the ground and waveringly rose to all fours, hacking violently and gulping down air like he never had before. It seemed like he just couldn't get enough oxygen, fiercely coughing and sucking in air as quickly as his lungs would allow it. Amidst his vicious hacking, one hand went to his bloodied shoulder, painfully applying pressure as he felt his head swirling, half because of loss of blood and the other half due to his prolonged deprival of air. So disoriented, he could barely comprehend what was going on around him, shutting his eyes tightly and trying to will away the dizziness as he greedily swallowed gulp after gulp of oxygen. All around him, he could hear various mingled shouts and voices, but he could barely distinguish what any of them were saying over the painful pounding of his head.

That is, until _she_ spoke up.

"_Let me go!_" Eugene's eyes flew open at the familiar angelic—yet now petrified—shriek, and he became breathless once again, but this time, with disbelief.

_No…_

Gaze snapping upwards, the young man's worst fears were confirmed as he spotted Rapunzel, struggling fruitlessly against Luther, who had forcefully taken hold of her arms. Her wide green eyes locked on his terrified amber ones, and Eugene's heart pounded inside his chest at the sight of her here…now…

_Why had she come back?_

"Eugene, _run!_" she shrieked, but before the young man could respond, a sudden force grabbed hold of his wrists, and he couldn't help but shout in pain as both of his arms—including his injured one—were violently yanked backwards.

"Rapunzel," he called out to her, his voice still hoarse from Luther's attempt to strangle him. "Rapunzel, no!"

Logan, who had grabbed hold of his wrists, angrily yanked the struggling man even farther away from the princess, and, without warning, violently twisted his injured arm backwards. The young man's protests were cut off in an agonizing shout of pain, as his whole shoulder erupted into a searing, fiery sting.

"_No!_" Rapunzel screamed, desperately trying to rip away from Luther. "Stop it! Can't you see you're _hurting him?"_

_"_That's the _idea_," Luther simply chuckled, relishing in his enemy's pain as he held the anguished princess back. He grinned sinisterly as Logan wrenched Eugene's arm backwards even more, and once again, Eugene let out a tormented shout as the excruciating pain sliced through his shoulder.

Shutting his eyes tightly and trying to will away the dizziness and overwhelming pain consuming him, Eugene gritted his teeth and his heart twisted agonizingly as Rapunzel let out another tearful shriek at the sight of the blood seeping from his wound.

"No!" she cried out, Eugene barely able to bear her heart-wrenching screams amidst his own torturous pain. "Eugene! Leave him _alone!_"

"Shut up," Eugene heard Luther growl, and his eyes flew open just in time to see the ruthless man give the princess a nasty slap across the face.

At that, Eugene completely snapped. Enraged at the sight of that _monster_ even _daring_ to do something like that to his beloved, he lunged forward, furiously struggling to escape Logan's grip and trying his best to ignore the excruciating pain in his shoulder.

"Take your filthy hands _off of her!_" he commanded, and then let out an abrupt groan through painfully clenched teeth as Logan twisted his blood-stained arm once again. But still, he didn't cease his struggling, even when Logan brutally slammed a boot against the back of one of his legs and nearly sent him stumbling to his knees.

"Well, then," Luther grinned ominously at the heavily breathing princess, completely ignoring the struggling man's protests, "now that we're finally all together, why don't we get started?"

Without warning, Luther suddenly ripped his sword out of its sheath, and in an instant, it was at the terrified princess's throat. Eugene completely froze, his heart pounding and his breath catching in his throat with one last horrified gasp.

"No," he choked out, and then his body snapped back into motion and he began struggling more furiously than ever before. "No! Rapunzel! _Leave her alone!_"

"Oh, but where's the fun in that?" Luther asked, his bloodthirsty eyes snapping with satisfaction back and forth between the petrified princess and frantic young man.

"Look, I'll do anything!" Eugene pleaded. "Do whatever you want with me! Torture me, kill me, I don't care! But you've got what you want! You've got me now! Just _let her go!_ _Please!_"

Rapunzel gasped, her wide green eyes pleading with Eugene not to do it, but Luther just chuckled, shaking his head, the sword still positioned firmly against Rapunzel's neck. "You just don't get it, do you, Rider? We're still gonna torture you, and we're still gonna kill you. But…" Eugene watched, heart pounding, as Luther's evil grin turned towards the princess. "What better way to do that than murderin' your precious little princess here…and making you watch?"

"_No!_" Eugene cried out, every emotion inside of him violently crashing down as he saw his beloved, just a few feet away, about to be slaughtered by one of his worst foes.

And he was helpless to stop it.

Eugene once again began frantically trying to tear away from Logan's grasp, letting out desperate screams of protest. However, Luther simply grinned with satisfaction and menacingly turned towards the princess, tightening the grip on his sword and preparing for the kill.

"Please," Rapunzel pleaded in a whisper, her fearful eyes locked on Luther. However, Eugene could only watch in horror as Luther just jammed the sword even more firmly against the princess's neck, and her pleas escalated to a tearful shriek. "Please, please, _no! NO!_"

"_Rapunzel!_" Eugene yelled, his desperate screams mingling with hers as they both struggled ineffectually against their captors. Suddenly, Eugene felt a rough tug on the back of his hair, and he let out a shout as his head was yanked backwards, forcing him to stare straight at his beloved.

Forcing him to watch her die.

Luther chuckled amidst the two lovers' screams, grinning as he took his time, drawing out the torturous dread. He glanced sinisterly at his eyepatched brother, who nodded curtly as soon as he had positioned Eugene's gaze on the doomed girl. Luther then turned back to the princess, ready to finish the job.

"No, _PLEASE!_" Rapunzel screamed, her petrified green eyes stuck on Luther. Her tearful gaze then snapped to Eugene, and the young man froze with a gasp as soon as those horrified green orbs locked on his. "Eugene! _EUGENE!_"

_"Eugene!"_

That one word—that one plea—pierced through Eugene's heart like a knife and echoed deafeningly inside his head. _Eugene…_

She was looking to _him_ to save her. She was counting on _him_.

And he would _not_ let her down.

An indescribable feeling flooded Eugene as soon as his beloved's cry met his ears, and, adrenaline surging through his being, he summoned up every ounce of his strength and ripped away from Logan's grasp. In one swift motion, he let out a shout and lunged forward before the burly man could grab him again, propelling himself towards Luther. Rage flooding every vein in his body, he grabbed Luther's arm and yanked it backwards, ripping the sword from the unsuspecting man's hand and flinging it as far away as he could manage. Luther, in his surprise, released the princess's wrists, and Eugene took that opportunity to snatch up Rapunzel's hand and race forward, Luther's hands just missing the back of his collar. The redheaded man's shout echoed behind him, but still, Eugene didn't cease running, gripping Rapunzel's hand tightly as they both flew into the dense forest of trees.

"Eugene, wha—" Rapunzel gasped in disbelief, running as fast as she could alongside the determined young man. "How did you do that?"

Eugene didn't know how to respond—he still couldn't believe it himself. It had all happened so fast…But one thing had been for sure. _EHH_

_He was not going to have let them kill her. _He had heard that love was one of the most powerful forces on earth—A stupid, cliché phrase, sure, but, in this situation perhaps it had proven true…

"I don't know," he admitted, panting as he sped forward, "But I couldn't let them hurt you…And I'm still not! We're gonna get out of here. Everything's gonna be ok!"

"But what about—"

"_Rider!_"

Rapunzel let out a gasp and looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening at the sight of the brothers gaining on them. "Eugene, they're coming!"

"Come on!" Eugene yelled, jerking her forward and running faster than he ever had before. However, with every step he took, a horrible pain sliced through his shoulder, but he fought through it, the brothers' shouts seeming to be right on their tails. Now if only he could do something about this dizziness…

Rapunzel seemed to notice his struggle, and she looked at him with concern as they ran. "Eugene, are you alri—"

"I'm fine, just—just keep going!"

Rapunzel hesitantly looked forward again, and then let out a shout as Eugene jerked her to the right and she narrowly avoided running into a tree.

"Blondie, you gotta pay attention!" Eugene cautioned, gripping her hand tightly. However, in his haste, he himself stumbled, but quickly regained his balance, trying his best to shake off the overwhelming lightheadedness. He couldn't trip again—that's how they had caught him last time.

And he couldn't risk that for either one of them.

"Where are we going?" Rapunzel asked as they wound speedily through the trees, trying their best to shake off their pursuers, to no avail.

"Anywhere," Eugene answered, though, quite frankly, he had also been asking himself that question in his head. He had no clue by now where Max was, and it wasn't like they could run all the way back to Corona from here…No, they just had to find somebody—anybody—who could help. That, or find somewhere they could hide, just until they were out of harm's way. But one thing was for certain: They had to get out of there.

"Eugene," Rapunzel panted, and Eugene's heart sank as he felt her beginning to slow behind her.

"No, no, no, Blondie," Eugene shook his head, looking over his shoulder and pulling the winded girl forward. "Just a little while longer—Come on, we can do this!"

Rapunzel nodded and propelled herself forward as quickly as she could, though Eugene could see the obvious exhaustion in her eyes. His heart began to pound even more furiously as he looked over his shoulder and saw the figures of the Stabbingtons getting closer and closer. He quickly racked his brain for an idea—they couldn't run forever!

Suddenly, a sharp pang of dizziness sliced once again through his head, and Eugene squeezed his eyes shut tight, his teeth clenched in a soundless moan. No—they _couldn't_ keep running forever. They had to find a way to stop, before—

"Eugene, look out!"

Rapunzel's sudden shout caught him off-guard, and Eugene's eyes flew open just in time for the young man to skid to a stop…

Right at the very edge of an enormous cliff.

Rapunzel yanked him backwards from the edge before he could lose his balance, but Eugene couldn't help but stare in shock over the edge of the huge precipice, eyes wide at the sight of the seemingly bottomless drop before him. Oh, gosh…What the heck were they supposed to do now?

"Well," the chillingly familiar voice sounded ominously behind him, and Eugene whirled around with a sharp gasp, holding his arms out protectively as the Stabbingtons menacingly came into view. "Looks like you got yourselves in quite a sticky situation here, hm?" Both Luther and Logan stepped forward, their lethal blades gleaming in the moonlight, and Rapunzel clutched the hand of his uninjured arm as Eugene took a cautious step back, his fiery amber eyes not leaving the Stabbington Brothers for an instant. Even though Eugene's valor was undying, the Stabbingtons still grinned, approaching the two victims threateningly.

"Face it, Rider," Luther chuckled, the points of his and Logan's swords coming closer and closer with every step of their heavy boots, "there's nowhere to run…" Eugene's eyes darted downwards as Logan lowered his sword and flicked it at a pebble, sending the tiny stone tumbling over the edge of the cliff and down into the cavernous gorge below. "Nowhere but down."

Eugene could feel his heart plummeting along with the pebble, and immediately, at the sight of the fatal drop, the dizzying effect of the gash on his shoulder once again took control. Letting out a quiet moan as he gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tight, he tried his best to steady his breathing as Rapunzel squeezed his hand fearfully. Taking in one last deep breath, his eyes once again flew open, and he tried to make his gaze look as intimidating as possible as it snapped away from the drop below and back to the brothers. Rapunzel's tiny hand still gripped tightly on his, and he squeezed hers back reassuringly, his fury intensifying with every second he thought about those _animals_ threatening that innocent girl…

"Get _back_," Eugene commanded, narrowing his amber-flaming eyes at the brothers, "and don't even _think_ about putting your hands on her!"

"Ok, then, fine…we won't think about it," Luther shrugged, the sadistic grin spreading even wider across his face as he and his brother stepped closer. Just then, he chuckled, and his own devious gaze drilled into Eugene's. "We'll _do_ it. We're gonna kill her, Rider, just like we're gonna do to you. Except first…" Eugene held out his arms even more defensively as Rapunzel let out a gasp, "…we're gonna have a little fun with her—and make sure you watch the _whole thing_."

Unfathomable rage surged through Eugene at Luther's words, and his breaths came out rough and raspy as disturbing images of the brothers' intentions for Rapunzel flooded through his mind. Willing away the troubling thoughts, he held Rapunzel's hand tightly, clenching the other hand of his outstretched arm into a tremulous fist. _No…_No, he would _not_ let them do _anything_ to her!

"Think again," Eugene spoke through clenched teeth, his infuriated gaze locked on the Stabbingtons, "because if you want to get anywhere _near_ her, you're gonna have to go through me."

Both of the brothers chuckled at Eugene's words, and Luther shook his head, taking another menacing step even closer. "Oh, but we will, Rider…"

Suddenly, both Luther and Logan thrust forward their swords, and Eugene ducked backwards, dodging them in the nick of time. He took cautious but quick steps backwards as the brothers swung their swords towards him, murderous glares in their eyes.

"Right—" _Swish._

"Through—" _Slash._

_"YOU!"'_

Eugene bent backwards, dodging one last attempt to run him through, but his heartbeat quickened as he realized how dangerously close he was to the ledge. Behind him, Rapunzel let out a yelp, gripping onto his shoulders tightly and pressing against him as much as she could, her toes the only thing keeping her rooted to land. The young man's gaze jerked forwards once again, and he realized with a sharp pang of fear that there was no way left that he could dodge any more attacks. The brothers must have realized that too, because with a simultaneous chuckle, both of them jabbed the tips of their swords against Eugene, Logan's sword right at his Adam's apple, and Luther's sword stabbing painfully against his chest, right in front of his thundering heart.

_There was no escape._

"You've gotten your way far too much in the past few months, Rider," Luther growled, and Eugene didn't dare even _breathe _as the two villains shoved the tips of the swords forward even more forcefully, the sharp edges nearly piercing through his neck and the fabric of his vest, "Now it's our turn. And, oh, we're gonna enjoy spilling _your_ blood…"

"No!" Rapunzel screamed from behind him, though she could do nothing but cry out firm her precarious place on the ledge. "_Leave him alone!_"

"Shut up, you little brat," Luther spat, digging his boot deep into the ground and kicking a heap of dirt at the princess. "You're next."

"No—" Eugene objected, but was abruptly cut off by Logan, who angrily drove his sword even more violently against Eugene's throat. Within his chest, his heart hammered against his ribs, and Eugene could feel the razor-sharp tip of _Luther's_ sword jab against it with every pounding heartbeat. His wide eyes darted around for some means of escape, but, for the first time in his entire life of sticky situations, it seemed there was none. His eyes darted back to the swords digging into his skin underneath him, and Eugene knew it would only be a matter of seconds before the brothers would finally end the suspense…and plunge the blades right into him.

There really was _no escape._

Luther chuckled, and Rapunzel gripped Eugene tightly as both of the brothers leaned in close to the young man, their swords positioned and a murderous gleam in their eyes. They, too, realized that both Eugene and Rapunzel had no escape, and now they were finally going to get to accomplish their mission: Murdering their double-crossing, backstabbing ex-partner, and also the love of his life—Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.

And Eugene was helpless against it.

Eugene shut his eyes tight, wishing that the Stabbingtons would just get it over with instead of leaving him to wallow in his own guilt. _Guilt._ He should have found a way to at least get Rapunzel out of this! They were here because of _him_. If he hadn't run away like an _idiot _in the first place, he would have never ended up in jail, and Rapunzel wouldn't have been so vulnerable at that ball. If he hadn't made so many stupid decisions, maybe they wouldn't be in this mess, and Rapunzel would be safe in bed at the castle instead of trapped on the edge of _death itself! _But no…he _had_ made those mindless decisions, and now, they were both going to die from it.

This was all his fault…

Eugene heard both of the brothers chuckle again from behind his closed eyelids, and Luther's voice sounded in front of him, the last thing Eugene would ever hear.

"Any last words, Ri—"

_Crrrk._

"What the—?" one of the brothers muttered, and Eugene's eyes flew open, flooding with confusion as another deep cracking noise sounded. His eyes darted around the area, trying to find the source of the mysterious crumbling sound…

Wait.

That crack in the ground…

That wasn't there a second ago.

"Oh, no," Eugene murmured under his breath, but that was the farthest he got before the ground below him emitted another cracking sound, and he watched, frozen on the spot, as the crevice in the ground grew longer with every ominous _crrrk_. Rapunzel seemed to notice the ever-widening gash in the ground, too, and Eugene's heart plummeted into his stomach as she let out a gasp, the slice in the dirt growing longer and deeper by the second. The four of them, all clustered together on the edge of that cliff…it was too much weight…

Finally, the Stabbingtons whirled around, and suddenly, with another rumbling _crack_, the ground shifted ever so slightly downwards. Rapunzel let out a yelp, and Eugene struggled to maintain his balance as the ground beneath his feet sank lower and lower, rumbling as if it was alive…

The cliff lurched downwards once again, and the Stabbingtons nearly toppled over as the gash in the ground sliced open even wider, almost to the full width of the cliff itself. Rapunzel buried her face into Eugene's back, digging her nails into his vest in a desperate attempt to keep from falling, but no matter how tightly she clutched onto him, the earth beneath their feet continued to crumble, the thin cliff straining to grip onto the firm part of the ground, to no avail…

"Eugene…" Rapunzel said uneasily, and then she let out a shriek as the earth beneath them roughly tipped downwards, and it took everything both of them had to keep themselves steady. "_Eugene!"_

That was the last thing Eugene heard before the ground beneath him finally gave way.

O-O-O-O-O

_They were going to die._

Of this, Rapunzel was sure. Arms flailing in a fruitless attempt to save herself, she plummeted down, along with the remains of the earth that had been a cliff only moments ago. Around her, everything seemed to go in slow motion. The Stabbingtons, tumbling down alongside her into the gorge, just a few feet away, and Eugene…also flailing about, trying to get a grip on something when all he could grasp was air…

They were _both_ going to die.

All four of their screams echoed as they all plummeted into the cavernous gorge, the rocky walls practically swallowing them alive. Before Rapunzel's eyes, her entire life seemed to flash in an instant, and just like Eugene, she tried desperately to grab at something—_anything_—that might have a chance at saving her life…

And then she found the root.

Miraculously, Rapunzel was able to grab hold of a tree root jutting out of the rocky wall, and in the nick of time, she grabbed Eugene's hand, though she couldn't help but shout at the sudden forceful yank his weight caused on her arm. She strained to keep a grip on him, but she was determined to hold on, and she looked up at the tree root in disbelief. This was impossible. They were alive…_They were alive!_

"Eugene!" she called down to him, worried he might have been injured even more during their decent. "Are you okay?"

"Considering the fact that I just fell off the side of a cliff and I'm still alive to tell the tale, I'm excellent," Eugene answered, and Rapunzel smiled at how much he sounded like his old self once again. "But I wouldn't say the same for the brothers, though."

The smile disappeared from Rapunzel's lips, and the princess hesitantly looked down over her shoulder to see if she could catch a glimpse of the Stabbingtons. She couldn't, but her stomach still churned uneasily. She knew they were down there…and both she and Eugene had just narrowly avoided the same fate that they had experienced.

It was unbelievable.

Rapunzel shook her head. It wasn't time to think about those things right now. Instead, she looked back up, and her heart soared as she realized that the top of the gorge was not as far away as she realized. In fact, if they pulled themselves up and stood on the root, together they would probably be able to pull themselves up to safety! Anxiously, Rapunzel dared another glance downwards at Eugene, and then winced in pain as her shoulder began to ache under his weight. Granted, he was a lot more muscular than she was, and for the record, she had _no_ idea how she was going to get him up there, but that was ok. They were still going to get through this. It didn't matter what it took…They were going to find a way out of this, and—

_Snap._

Rapunzel's heart froze as the eerie, foreboding noise sounded again, but this time, from above her. Gaze snapping upwards, she let out a gasp at the sight of the root, which was slightly more bent than it was a second ago. She squeezed her eyes tight, just in case it was her imagination, but another sharp snap sent her eyes flying open once again, and the small little crevice in the side of the straining root verified her fears. Her eyes darted downwards, to the fatal drop below her, and then back up to the splintering wood, which was beginning to bend even farther and farther…

"Eugene!" she shrieked, unable to take her eyes off of the splitting root. "It—it's _breaking!_"

Immediately, the relieved look disappeared from Eugene's face, and his amber eyes grew wide with anxiety as his gaze shot upwards as well.

"It—it can't hold both of us, Blondie!" Eugene called up to her.

Rapunzel's heart began to pound even more furiously with every little splinter that broke away from the root. _Couldn't hold both of them? _Then how the heck were they supposed to get up onto land? "Wha—Then what do we do?"

No reply came from Eugene, who was either deep in thought or he just hadn't heard her. Rapunzel wanted to look down and check, but her terrified green gaze was locked on her only lifeline, tearing away… "_Eugene!"_

"Rapunzel," Eugene finally answered, but his voice was so serious and solemn that Rapunzel's breath froze in her throat. "_Let go of my hand._"

Wait.

_What?_

"What are you, _insane?_" Rapunzel shrieked, her gaze finally ripping away from the root and down at her beloved. What the heck was he _talking about?_

"Let _go of me_, Rapunzel!" Eugene commanded, his voice escalating. "It can't hold us both!"

"_No!_" Rapunzel refused; shocked that Eugene would even _suggest_ something like that. "Eugene—I—I'm not going to let you _die_!"

"And I'm not going to let _you_ die!" Eugene retaliated, and Rapunzel's gaze snapped back to the creaking root. With every passing second, it bent farther and farther…growing weaker and weaker…

Suddenly, Rapunzel let out a shriek as Eugene's grip on her hand went slack, and her green eyes darted downwards towards him, clenching his hand as tightly as she could, though she could feel his limp fingers slipping ever so slowly from her grasp…

"No, _Eugene, DON'T!_" Rapunzel pleaded tearfully, trying desperately to keep a grip on his sinking hand. "_Please!"_

"You don't understand, Rapunzel!_" _Eugene's insistent voice filled Rapunzel's ears, along with the ever-present cracking of the root. "If I don't do this, you're going to _die!_"

"No, Eugene," Rapunzel shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "If you _do_ do this, I'm going to die!"

Eugene froze, and after a second of deliberation, he reluctantly heeded her cry, grasping her hand once again. However, he opened his mouth to object, but the princess quickly shook her head, her tearful, desperate gaze locked on the man she loved.

"No—Look, Eugene, you promised me you would do everything you could to make me happy," Rapunzel sobbed, ignoring the drooping root above her head and instead focusing all of her attention on the man below her…The man willing to die for her at a moment's notice. "And I know you think that me going back to the castle and going on with my life is going to give me happiness, but _no. _Eugene, you don't get it! I can't be happy going back to Corona without you at my side! I can't be happy spending the rest of my life with a man who treats me lower than dirt! I can't be happy knowing I just _let go of your hand and watched you fall to your death!_" She took in a deep breath, trying to compose herself as she poured out her very soul into her words. Finally, she swallowed, gazing down into his troubled amber eyes and not even trying to prevent the salty tears that streamed from her eyes. "Eugene, you _are_ my happiness. And I'm not going to let you go! If we go…we go _together._ I'm not going to let you go…I—I _can't _let you go…"

For a moment, both of them were silent, the only noise the faint creaking of the root as the last of the wood finally began to splinter away. Finally, Eugene squeezed Rapunzel's hand gently, gazing affectionately up into her tearstained eyes.

"Ok," he whispered, his voice slightly shaky, as if he was near tears himself. "You're right…And if that's what you want…Then…I—I love you, Rapunzel."

The princess mustered a smile, one last tear streaming down her cheek.

"And…And I love you, Eugene Fitzherbert."

With that, Rapunzel took one last glance at the root, which was just practically hanging on by a thread. Swallowing as she realized she had just sealed her fate, she looked back down again, gazing deep into those loving amber orbs. Suddenly, she didn't feel so scared anymore.

It didn't matter anymore. She was with _him_.

That was all that really mattered.

Gripping Eugene's hand tightly, she squeezed her eyes shut, filling her mind with every lovely, memorable moment she and Eugene had experienced together.

_The lanterns._

_Returning to the castle. _

_That walk they took in the garden in spring. _

_That one time she couldn't sleep and he let her lay with him. _

_When she pushed him in the fountain. _

_When they snuck out and danced together in the kingdom._

_Their last embrace._

_His last smile._

_Their…_

_Last…_

_Kiss…_

_That_ was what she wanted to remember. _That_ was the last thing she wanted to recall.

_Him._

And those were the images she filled her mind with, even as she heard the final _snap_ of the root and felt herself falling, her hand still gripped tightly in his.

_Eugene…_

* * *

><p><strong>OH. MY. GOSH.<strong>

**Believe it or not, I had already written ALL these freakin' review replies.**

**TOOK ME HALF AN HOUR.**

**THEY ARE GONE.**

**I CLICKED "SAVE".**

**POOF.**

**GONE.**

**WHAT THE HECK?**

**I'm sorry-I can't type all those again. But let me just tell you that I _do_ appreciate all you guys's reviews (enough to reply to most of them before fanfiction went all STUPID on me!). I'm really sorry.**

**Thanks for everything, you guys! I love you all! Thanks for the reviews and please keep them up! They really inspire me!**

**Okey dokey.**

**So what are some things I didn't like about this chapter?**

**1. OOC!**

**2. It's just so dark...and not like, pretty, graceful dark. Like...It's just evil...sorry.**

**3. My writing didn't flow this time like some of the other chapters!**

**4. The cliff broke. The branch broke. My heart broke. It just sounds stupid and redundant and unrealistic and AMATAURISH! *Slams face against keyboard and sobs* PAD PIJ4W3834HOIT; JRAJ ;JAFDAADKLNJAF OIMEUWAHM R ,WE4WO TAAT4EWLKJVJATR4 HYHVHA4TUVA **

**That was my face...sure.**

**Yup.**

**So you've obviously seen my blatent contempt for this chapter. But I'm actually really excited about Chapter 24. I can't promise it'll be out especially soon, but I _do_ have a lot of the idea planned out. And trust me-there's gonna be a moment in there you guys are gonna like.**

**A lot.**

**A WHOLE FREAKIN' LOT.**

**That's all I'm gonna say.**

**:-D**

**Luv you guys! (Sorry about the review reply problem!)**

**-Sheep1215**


	24. Confrontation

**OH.**

**MY.**

**GOOOOOOOOOOOBER!**

**Before I say ANYTHING else, I just want to apologize to you guys...I honestly cannot tell you how sorry I am! Not only did I not update for 2 FREAKIN MONTHS (Which, by the way, is the longest I've ever gone not updating on, like, ANYTHING) but I also left you guys on like, THE WORST CLIFFHANGER (literally) IN THE HISTORY OF ALL CLIFFHANGING CLIFFHANGERS! GAH! I'M SO SORRY!**

**Seriously, though. I feel terrible for making you guys wait so long. I've just been SO busy, it's been miserable. And everytime I've sat down to type, some kind of other distraction just APPEARS OUT OF NOWHERE! GAH! I've actually had to start carrying around a little notebook (I think I've already told you this...SEE? I'M GOING INSANE! I'M FORGETTING MY LIFEEEEEEEEEEEEE!) and writing everything down in THAT 'cause I've barely had access to a laptop.**

**Okey dokey. I need to stop talking because from you guys' reviews, you guys REALLY have wanted to read this.**

**Just, like, 3 things before we start. 3 little things. That's it.**

**1. Since I CAN'T STAND author's notes (Idk, I just think they throw off the flow of the story), I've been putting pre-chapter updates on deviantart. Only a few of you have gotten the message about this (I tried to send it to all my subscribers but I just COULDN'T DO IT) so now I'm letting you all know. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. These little journal entries will let you know I'm not dead, or just something cute I want to tell you that can't wait until the next chapter, in case, you know, I ever take this long to update again. (WHICH SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN THE HISTORY OF LIFE! GAHHHHH!) D: You guys should definitely check it out. My username is the same as my fanfiction one: sheep1215. (SPEAKING OF ART I'M ALSO STILL TAKING FANART! ALSO, THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYBODY WHO'S ALREADY SUBMITTED SOME! YAYAYAYYAYAAYAYYAAAAAY!) ;3**

**2. THIS. CHAPTER. IS. THE. FREAKIN. LONGEST. CHAPTER. IN. THE. HISTORY. OF. LONG. CHAPTERS. (Gosh, we're breaking a lot of records here, aren't we?) But seriously. Over 12,000 words? Either this will explain why I took so long to update, or you'll all fall asleep/turn into zombies while reading this, and then track me down and consume my brain. With a bendy straw. I'm hoping it's not the latter.**

**3. OVER 700 REVIEWS! I LOVE YOU GUYS! Sadly, no review replies. Like I said in the above statement, this chapter is already FREAKISHLY long. Those of you who aren't anonymous reviewers, I've actually sent most of your review replies through PMs. If you ARE anonymous, however, I'm so sorry. I STILL LOVE YOU ALL! *Hugs* **

**Ok. I lied. 4 things.**

**Readers: *ANGRY GLARE OF DEATH!***

**OK, OK, I'll hurry!**

**So, you guys know those ask blogs on the website tumblr? Yeah, well, for those of you who don't know, it's basically a roleplaying kind of thing, where a person sets up a tumblr pretending they're this character, and answer questions, y'know, in the way they'd answer them. Any question you want. They already have, like, Rapunzel askblogs, Flynn askblogs, EVEN A CONLI ASKBLOG! :D So...ah...since the story is WAY more popular than I expected...I was kind of wondering...would you guys...possibly like...a...Robert askblog? :)**

**Readers: NO! WRITE YOUR FREAKIN STORY!**

**No! Wait! I'd be working with a good friend of mine, so it actually wouldn't take up too much of my time-She would help me out while I wrote, getting Chapter 26 done and making ALL THE HAPPY PEOPLE OF THE WORLD SING IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL AND DRINK SUNDROP UNTIL THEY LEARNED TO FLY LIKE NYAN CAT! :D *twitches***

**Yeah...You can tell I'm crazy. I stayed up ALL NIGHT finishing this last night.**

**So let me know what you guys think. We might put it up tomorrow. For more details, check out the deviantart journal I told you about. Thanks!**

**And ONE. LAST. THING. (A little bit more serious)**

**For all of you involved in that whole "Bob" issue that happened a little while back, or if you just want to learn a little bit more about it, please read the little segment after the chapter. Thanks so much.**

**And without further ado...I-WILL-NOW-STEAL-TANGLED-*Falls down, snoring, as sheep1215 collapses from a whole night NOT SLEEPING TO WORK ON ATRM* :3**

**Guess I'm not owning Tangled right now. *YAWN* Boy...I'm sleepy.**

**(P.S. THE ASKROBERT BLOG IS NOW UP AND RUNNING! THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT YOU GUYS! WHY DON'T YOU CHECK IT OUT? It's askrobertATRM. tumblr. com (Without the spaces))**

**Chapter Song (Or SONGS, this time around): "Face Down", by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and "According to You", by Orianthi!**

* * *

><p>Rapunzel shut her eyes as she felt herself plummeting downwards, and for that moment, time just completely stopped.<p>

And then…So did she.

Rapunzel let out a yelp as her downward decent came to an abrupt halt, and she felt a harsh tug against her wrist, where something had suddenly stopped her by the sleeve. Completely baffled, her eyes flew open and her gaze darted downwards towards Eugene, whose hand was still gripped tightly in hers. The young man noticed their sudden stop as well, and his amber eyes flew open, darting up to her as he let out a sharp gasp. His mouth gaped open in a wide grin of shock, and he blinked in disbelief at the sight above Rapunzel.

"Well," he chuckled, "that was perfect timing."

Still slightly confused, Rapunzel's eyes hesitantly wandered up her other arm, which was being suspended. Past her elbow…up to the wrist which held the end of her sleeve…

…Gripped in two big rows of teeth attached to a furry white snout.

"Maximus!" Rapunzel squealed, her gaze snapping upwards to where the rest of the horse stood, leaning over the gorge as far as he possibly could. In his teeth was the thin silver sleeve of Rapunzel's ball gown, and on his back was Pascal, who scurried up to the top of the stallion's head, staring down worriedly at his two friends, who had just escaped death by the skin of…well, Maximus's teeth.

Rapunzel let out an astonished laugh as Maximus began pulling them up slowly, first the princess, then Eugene. As soon as Rapunzel hit solid ground, she dove forward and embraced Maximus's neck tightly, just so _thankful_ to be _alive…_

"Thank you," she whispered, and the horse let out a soft whinny and rubbed his head against her shoulder. After she ended the hug with Maximus, she grabbed Pascal, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and said it again, grinning ear-to-ear. "Thank you. Thank you!" Indescribable joy flooding through her, she began racing all over, twirling and laughing and shouting "Thank you" over and over again.

_She was alive!_

Suddenly, she came to an abrupt stop, and let out another joyous gasp.

She was alive…so was Eugene.

"_Eugene!_" she shouted, whirling around and rushing towards him. Before the young man could react, she propelled herself into his arms, hugging him so tightly, she thought she might squish him. But she couldn't help it. He was alive…_They_ were alive!

Eugene returned the tight embrace, wrapping one arm around her midsection and burrowing his head close to her shoulder. However, Rapunzel's eyes flew open as she heard his breathing in her ear, and her being flooded with concern at the sound of how raggedy it was. She drew back from him, alarmed, and though Eugene tried his best to muster up a small smile, Rapunzel worriedly gazed up into his eyes. Though usually sparkling with amber glow, they were now dull and glassed over, vacant as if he wasn't even in the same world.

"Eugene," she asked anxiously, gently reaching up to touch his face. "Are you alri—?"

"_There they are!_"

The sudden voice gave the princess a jolt, and she whirled around swiftly, fearful that the Stabbington Brothers might have survived the fall and were after them once again. However, her fears quickly diminished, and she let out a sigh of relief as the Captain and his team of familiar-faced guards burst from the forest, their armor glistening under the first few rays of morning sunlight peeking over the horizon.

"Your highness!" Captain Grant gasped, rushing forward to inspect the young woman for any injury. At the last second, he remembered to bow, though it seemed rushed and out-of-place amidst his blatant relief and shock at finding the princess so deep in the forest. Urgently, he ushered her off to the side, his gaze intently searching the area for any sign of the red-headed criminals. He then turned back to Rapunzel, his hand already at the hilt of his sword, ready to defend if need be.

"First of all, Princess, are you okay?" the Captain asked. "Did they hurt you at all?"

Rapunzel's thoughts flashed back to the brothers' violent attempts to get Eugene's whereabouts out of her, and she rubbed tenderly at the lingering ache in her shoulders. "Yes," she answered with a nod, "but everything's fine now. I'm okay."

"And the brothers," the Captain's eyes began fervently searching the area once again, "where are they now?"

"They—" Rapunzel began to explain, but she was cut off by a sudden shout of pain behind her. She whirled around with a gasp, and she froze in shock as she spotted the rest of the Captain's men forcefully restraining Eugene, shoving him violently down to his knees. The young man struggled to break free, but he was hopelessly outnumbered, and the accused thief let out another agonized shout as one of the guards viciously forced his injured arm behind his back, showing no mercy as he whipped out iron shackles and cuffed Eugene's wrists together.

"Stop!" Rapunzel shouted, rushing forward, only to be held back by the Captain. "No—_Wait!_ What are you _doing_? Let him go! He's—He's hurt…" however, she trailed off, Captain Grant paying her no heed. Instead, the armored man's angry eyes were deadlocked on Eugene.

"I don't know how you do it, Rider," the Captain growled, narrowing his eyes, "but trust me—you're seriously going to regret your little disappearing act once we get back to Corona."

"What," Eugene retaliated, mustering up all the strength he could amidst the blazing sting in his shoulder, though he still sounded breathless with pain, "you gonna whip me again?"

The Captain froze, his face contorting into a look of pure rage. Rapunzel froze as well, though _her_ anger was directed at the armored official before her. She felt her hands subconsciously ball into fists at the memory of Eugene's horrific scars, and as Captain Grant's gaze snapped to her, unsure of whether or not the princess knew of his assault on her beloved, Rapunzel shot an infuriated gaze back at him, her eyes flooded with jade green fire. A few of the guards constraining Eugene looked at each other confusedly, as some of them had not yet been informed of their boss's torture session with the accused criminal. Still, none of the men dared object to their captain, so they all remained silent.

However, out of everyone standing around in the area, the first one to fully react was Maximus, who had been completely unaware of his master's maltreatment of the ex-thief. Eyes wide in surprise, the stallion's shocked gaze darted from the Captain, to Eugene, and then back to the Captain, his eyes locking on the armored man and flooding with intense anger.

With a furious whinny, the horse charged forward, and Rapunzel stumbled backwards with a yelp as Maximus threw himself between the Captain and the group of men restricting Eugene. Eyes red with fury, the stallion shoved his face threateningly inches away from the Captain's nose, letting out an infuriated snort. Rapunzel was startled, almost frightened, even, by the huge horse breathing heavily in front of the Captain's face. The Captain, however, seemed completely unfazed—in fact, more perturbed than anything—even though Maximus's livid eyes were mere inches away from his own.

Captain Grant stood his ground, his glare full of contempt at the fact that Maximus—_a royal steed_—would even _dare_ to stand up for such a wretched criminal. However, Maximus didn't back down either, and with a huff of annoyance, the Captain ducked to the right, attempting to shove past the horse and reach Eugene. But Maximus refused to let him pass, and with another furious neigh of objection, the white stallion stepped right back in front of the Captain, firmly blocking his path. Rapunzel watched as the Captain tried to elude the horse by sidestepping to the left, but to no avail—Maximus still refused to let him anywhere near Eugene. After a few ineffective attempts to get by, Captain Grant's expression grew more and more irritated until he finally let out an exasperated groan, and snapped his fingers in the air. "Will somebody _please_ restrain this horse?"

Immediately, a small band of guards stepped away from Eugene and promptly obeyed their Captain's orders, though Eugene was still hopelessly outnumbered. Rapunzel let out a gasp as the armored men yanked Maximus off to the side, though the horse still furiously protested, bucking and neighing and nearly overpowering the men. But the stallion was also outnumbered, and as much as Rapunzel could hardly conceive it, the guards were able to hold back the irate horse. Shaking her head with a wordless gasp of protest, her gaze then snapped back to the Captain, who was approaching Eugene, the extreme fury still evident on his fuming red face.

"You watch your _mouth_," the Captain commanded through gritted teeth. "Or mark my words, Rider," Rapunzel let out a gasp as the Captain raised his hand, ready to deliver a nasty strike across Eugene's face. "I'll—"

"_No!_" Rapunzel cried out, and the princess dove forward, grabbing the Captain's arm and holding it back as best she could, despite the armored man's irritated glare. "Don't touch him! Leave him _alone_!"

"Princess," Captain Grant reprimanded her snappily, trying his best to yank his arm away from Rapunzel's unrelenting grasp without hurting her, "I'd prefer if you would _please_ let me do my _job!_"

"Punishing _criminals_ is your job!" Rapunzel countered, wrapping both arms tightly around the Captain's forearm and refusing to let go. "Eugene is _innocent!_"

Behind her, Maximus still neighed loudly in protest, and Rapunzel could hear Pascal—who was perched on the stallion's head—also letting out indignant squeaks of protest at the armored men surrounding them. Rapunzel tried her best to block out the turmoil surrounding her, instead focusing on restraining the Captain's arm, despite the official's superior strength compared to hers.

At the mention of Eugene's innocence, Rapunzel thought she saw a flicker of guilt in the Captain's eye, but as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished, and Captain Grant's eyes flooded with fiery aggravation once again.

"I don't know what he's told you," he grunted through clenched teeth, once again attempting to yank his arm away from the brown-haired girl's restrictions. "But I'm afraid—_ugh!_—you can't—believe everything—_rrgh!_—you hear!"

"I'm _not_!" Rapunzel objected, straining to keep her arms locked around the struggling Captain's arm. "I was _there!_ I _know_ he didn't do anything wrong! Why won't you believe him? Why won't you believe _me_?"

The Captain's brow furrowed in consideration, but after about half a second, he shook his head, ridding himself of the notion.

"Princess," he said finally, attempting to silence her, "you just don't understand!"

With one last infuriated yank of his arm, the Captain was able to rip away from Rapunzel's grasp, and the princess stumbled backwards with a gasp, nearly tumbling to the ground from the force. At first, the sudden jolt disoriented her a bit, but as soon as she steadied herself, Rapunzel's eyes fixed right back on the Captain. Immediately, she opened her mouth to object, but, to her surprise, it was Eugene who spoke up, snapping as soon as the Captain had broken free from her.

"_Hey!_" Eugene objected, and the Captain's livid glare snapped to the restrained young man, who shot equally fiery eyes right back. "Why don't you _back off?_ She's not a little kid! Just—Stop treating her like she's stupid!"

"_Watch it, _Rider!" another guard restraining Eugene snapped, "You do _not_ speak to a royal official that way, you understand?"

And before Rapunzel could react, the armored man wrenched Eugene's arm backwards, and the princess gasped as the young man let out an excruciating shout of pain, collapsing to his knees with painfully gritted teeth. Another exclamation came from Pascal and Maximus behind her, along with the accompanying shouts of the guards attempting to restrain them, but Rapunzel barely even noticed, her wide green eyes locked on the blood seeping from Eugene's wound, soaking in the now-crimson fabric of his sleeve.

No.

That was it.

That, right there, made her anger completely boil over. He had saved her life, and how were they repaying him? They were accusing him. Abusing him. And doing absolutely _nothing_ but watching him bleed. Well, Rapunzel was finished with doing nothing but watching. Back at the castle, the ball, even out there in the forest, she had been nothing but a helpless little damsel in distress this whole time. Well, not anymore. Eugene had saved her, after all. Now she was going to do the same for him.

Rapunzel closed her eyes, clenched her fists, and took in the biggest breath she could manage, and amidst all the turmoil surrounding her; Maximus's furious neighing, Pascal's piercing shrieks, Eugene's protests and the Captain's booming shouts, her one shrieking command shattered through it all in an instant.

_"LET HIM GO!"_

Immediately, every figure in the area froze—The horse, the chameleon, even the Captain, and every pair of eyes locked incredulously on the princess. Rapunzel's eyes flew open, shocked, herself, even, by how forceful she had sounded. But, trying her best to maintain her authority, she refused to show any sign of astonishment, and her mother's command from a few weeks prior when Eugene had first been apprehended popped into her head. Narrowing her eyes and drilling them straight into the Captain's, she added for emphasis, "By order of your princess!"

The men restraining Eugene looked hopelessly confused, and their anxious eyes darted from the princess to their captain, unsure of whose authority to obey. The Captain, too, looked hesitant, but finally, with a reluctant sigh, he turned to his men and nodded curtly. The armored men complied, letting their hands fall from the young man, who was still on his knees wincing in pain.

"Eugene!' Rapunzel gasped out, immediately rushing to his side. In an instant she was kneeling down next to him, surveying his wound. However, that only was met by a hiss of pain from Eugene, and Rapunzel quickly drew back, instantly guilty that she had caused him _any_ pain. She fumbled with the shackles around his wrists to no avail, and then looked up at the guards standing before her with pleading eyes. Finally, one of them pulled out the key to Eugene's shackles with a sigh, an action which was met with a fierce glare from the Captain. With a quick "thank you," Rapunzel gratefully took the key, inserting it into the manacles and letting out a sigh of relief as the irons fell away once she turned it.

"Princess," Rapunzel heard the Captain's stern voice above her, even though all of her attention was still on Eugene and his awful wound. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Look," Rapunzel shook her head, shooting the Captain her firmest glare, "I don't know how he got here, or what he might have done to escape, or…Whatever. I'll admit. I don't know. But what I do know is this: He did it to _save_ me. If he hadn't come just in time, I'd be…" she swallowed, unable to finish her sentence as a tremulous hand rose to her throat. She could still feel the faint incision left from the Stabbingtons' swords, and her thoughts flashed to what _might_ have been if Eugene hadn't gotten there in the nick of time…

"So what you're saying is, he only escaped tosave you?" the Captain asked, his tone still a bit disbelieving. His narrowed eyes shot to Eugene, who was attempting to rise to his feet, Rapunzel quickly swooping in to help him. "How about it, Rider? This true?"

"Does it matter?" Eugene asked irritably. "You're not going to believe me anyways."

The Captain was silent, and Rapunzel's stomach churned—she couldn't really tell if that was a good or bad sign. Finally, Captain Grant gestured to Eugene's injured bicep with a slight nod. "Your arm. What happened there?"

"The Stabbingtons," Rapunzel answered. "Eugene had just rescued me, and we were running…Then they caught him again, and…" Rapunzel shuddered as she remembered the blade tearing through Eugene's flesh. No…She _definitely_ did _not_ want that image back in her head again.

Captain Grant must have noticed the princess's shudder, because his eyes flooded with sympathy for about a split second. But in an instant, he blinked it away, and went right back to business. "And the Stabbingtons. Where are they?"

"They…" Rapunzel trailed off, looking uneasily towards the gorge where Eugene and she had nearly lost their lives what seemed like just moments ago. Sensing her uneasiness, Eugene stepped forward, shaking his head.

"I…don't think you're gonna have to worry about them anymore."

The Captain, realization sweeping over his face, stared, eyes wide, at the princess and the ex-thief. For a moment, everything was nearly silent as Captain Grant took it all in, the only noise the faint murmurs of the group of guards behind him, as they, too, were shocked by what they had just heard. Finally, it was Eugene who officially broke the silence.

"So," he groaned slightly as he shifted his arm, and Rapunzel's gaze instantly flitted to him, concerned. "I…uh…guess it's back to the prisons for me, then?"

"Hold up, Rider," the Captain commanded, much to Rapunzel's surprise. The princess watched the armored man's face intently, as he seemed to be having some kind of mental argument with himself. Finally, he shook his head, and Rapunzel could hear a muttered, "I must be out of my mind," under his breath. Suddenly, the Captain held out his hand with a sigh, though Rapunzel could still see the reluctance on his face. Eugene, still a bit wary, stared at the hand quizzically, and then back up at the Captain.

"It'd be best if you shook it, Rider," the Captain advised through gritted teeth, "before I change my mind."

With one last confused look from the Captain to his gloved hand, Eugene hesitantly brought his own uninjured arm in and clasped the Captain's hand, and the official shook his firmly.

"I…I believe I owe you an apology."

At the sound of the Captain's words, Rapunzel let out a gasp, and Eugene, shocked, yanked his arm away as if the Captain had just burned it. "Woah…what?"

The Captain let out another sigh, unable to look Eugene in the eye. "Look, maybe the whipping was _a bit_ out of hand…After all, you _did_ save the princess. Just…Gosh, I just can't believe you got rid of those Stabbingtons…" For a moment, Rapunzel thought she saw the Captain's eye twinkle with genuine approval, but then he shook it away, quickly transforming back into his old self again. "Look, Fitzherbert, I'm not saying that I like you now all of a sudden, 'cause to be honest, I don't—"

Rapunzel suddenly smiled. "Fitzherbert?"

"Hm?"

"You just called him Fitzherbert," Rapunzel explained, "not Rider."

The Captain gritted his teeth, as if he had just said something improper, but the princess still smiled. Well, this was a start.

Finally, the Captain cleared his throat and gestured to the troop of guards behind him, acting as if his apology had never even occurred. "Alright, men. Let's head on back. I'm sure the King and Queen are worried sick about the princess here. The sooner we return to Corona, the better."

The guards nodded in compliance and began following after their Captain, including the ones that had been restraining Maximus and Pascal. The horse, now free, trotted over to Rapunzel's side, Pascal perched atop his head, just beginning to shimmer in the newly birthed rising sun. The Captain was right—It was about time to be heading back. Gosh, it was already morning! Rapunzel definitely needed to get home—both she and Eugene—and let her parents know that she was alright.

"Eugene, are you ready to—" Rapunzel whirled around to face him, but suddenly froze mid-sentence, noticing immediately that something wasn't right. It almost looked like Eugene was staring right through her, and now that the sun had risen even higher in the sky, Rapunzel could see it illuminated on his face…Gosh, he was so pale…

"Eugene?" she asked, concern rising in her voice. She brought forward a gentle hand to analyze his wound, but suddenly jerked away as she found it stained with blood. "Eugene!"

Suddenly, Rapunzel's heart froze in her chest as Eugene's body began to waver, and then she let out a shriek as she saw his eyes roll back in his head and the young man instantly began toppling to the ground. It all seemed to go in slow motion, as he tumbled backwards, unresponsive, and then slammed against the dirt with a heart-wrenching _thud_, unconscious.

"_EUGENE!"_

O-O-O-O-O

Eugene awoke to something sticky and wet in his ear.

"_Gah!_" he jolted upwards with a yelp, and, horribly disgusted, rubbed furiously at his ear, glaring down at the scaly little reptile that had happened to plop down in front of him.

Shuddering as he attempted to rid his ear canal of the remaining chameleon saliva, he narrowed his eyes at Pascal, who flashed him a small little grin from his spot on the covers.

"What the heck is with you and th—?" Suddenly, Eugene froze, realizing something.

The covers.

This was _not_ the forest.

And it definitely wasn't the prisons, either—Unless some kind of lavish renovation had gone on overnight. Eyes wide as he gripped the covers before him and confusedly surveyed the area, he then realized where he was: A room. _His_ room. He was back in the castle. But how…?

Suddenly, he realized that something else was missing: His shirt. Looking down, he saw that his ribs were wrapped in new, clean, white gauze; as opposed to the older bandaging that Rapunzel had given him that had dirtied over time. Out of the corner of his eye, he also spotted gauze on his shoulder, and he gently ran a hand over the snug, rough bandaging, though perhaps that wasn't the smartest move. Though not as prominent as earlier, the pain from his gash still shot through his bicep at the touch, and he quickly drew his hand back with a small gasp of pain.

As soon as he gasped, however, he realized that he wasn't alone in the room. At the sound of his voice, a young, redheaded maid who had happened to be to dusting something whirled around to face him.

"Oh, you're awake!" she exclaimed, a relieved smile on her face. "How are you doing, Mr. Fitzherbert? We tried to patch you up the best we could…Heard that was quite a scare you gave the princess in the woods."

"I…Uh—What?" Eugene rubbed at his face, still slightly disoriented and bewilderedly attempting to piece everything together. "Wait…What happened back there?"

"You poor thing," the slightly plump young woman shook her head, wiping her hands on her apron and then heading back to arrange a few things on his dresser. "I can imagine you're a bit confused…After all, you did lose a lot of blood back there—How's your arm doing now?"

"My—My arm…" Eugene, a puzzled expression on his face, turned to look at his bandaged bicep. Suddenly, a thought hit him, and he shook his head, looking down at Pascal. "Wait a second…did I pass out?"

Pascal nodded, and so did the maid, who seemed like she just couldn't find the right position for some random knick-knack on his dresser. "That's what I heard. News came about the attack during the ball and that those brutes had taken the princess...Seemed like none of us could get to sleep last night. Shocked us all when the Captain and his men brought you and the princess in 'round dawn this morning. A miracle, that's what it was…"

Eugene once again went back to rubbing his face, a slight moan escaping his lips as he tried to recall everything that had occurred. A lot of it was fuzzy…The last thing he could remember was something about the Captain—the Captain…shaking his hand. Woah. Ok, that's it. He was more out of it than he thought.

Just then, a pang of anxiety struck him, and his hands quickly fell from his face as he jerked even more upright. "Wait. Rapunzel! Where—"

"The princess?" the maid responded. "Oh, she's fine, don't you worry. The royal physicians tended to all her injuries and she's perfectly fine now, back in her room."

Eugene breathed a huge sigh of relief at that. But, before he could say anything else, the maid snapped her fingers, the glow of realization flooding her face.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" she exclaimed, looking at Eugene. "The King and Queen were worried about you earlier…I should probably let them know you're awake."

With one last brush of her hands on her apron, she nodded with a smile and made her way to the door, though, as soon as her hand hit the knob, she paused for a moment to instruct Eugene.

"Stay put," she added, "I'll be right back." And with that, she exited through the big white door, shutting it behind her and leaving Eugene and Pascal in silence.

As soon as the door shut behind the young woman, Eugene flung back the huge mound of covers and let his soles fall on the cold floor, rising to his feet. Stay put? Yeah, right. He wasn't going to do _anything_ until he was completely sure himself that Rapunzel was all right. Not even bothering to put on a shirt for fear the King and Queen would reach his room by the time he did, Eugene grabbed Pascal, set the chameleon on his shoulder, and made his way to the door.

"And don't even _think_ about putting that tongue of yours anywhere near my ear," Eugene commanded, raising an eyebrow at Pascal, who shrunk down with a small, guilty grin.

Eugene grabbed the doorknob and eased the door open as quietly as he could, holding his breath for fear it would let out a squeak of protest. However, the door remained silent, and the young man stuck his head out of the opening, making sure the coast was clear. Sure enough, there was no sign of anyone, and Eugene took that opportunity to steal out into the hallway, slinking against the wall as stealthily as he could. Using every technique he could recall from his thieving days, Eugene moved quickly but surreptitiously through the castle hallways, not even daring to breathe for fear that a castle guard would be lurking right around the corner. He wasn't sure if he was still technically classified as a criminal or not anymore, seeing as the Captain and he had apparently been able to begrudgingly make amends the night before—it was all coming back to him now—but still, he didn't want to risk it; the last thing Eugene wanted was for the Captain or any of the other royal guards to catch him wandering shirtless through the castle halls…Eugene nearly chuckled as their sure-to-be-priceless expressions flashed in his mind, but he quickly stifled his laughter. Slack-jawed guards could wait. Right then, his top priority was reaching Rapunzel.

Focusing once again on the matter at hand, Eugene continued his cautious venture towards the princess's room, Pascal keeping watch diligently on the young man's shoulder. Finally, after what seemed like years of meandering through that labyrinth of a castle, Eugene let out a sigh of relief as he reached his destination: a door, originally white, but now covered in colorful, pastel designs, ranging from everything from weaving green ivy to a smiling brunette princess twirling amidst the cotton-candy clouds.

Rapunzel's room.

With one last glance around to make sure no one was looking, Eugene turned the doorknob and began easing the door open, commending himself in his mind.

_Well,_ he chuckled mentally, smirking as he pushed open the door, _I guess I've still got it—_

Suddenly, the door let out a loud squeak of objection, and Eugene, not expecting the sudden noise to pierce through the silence, completely overreacted. Sure that the royal guards were standing right behind him, he flung himself into Rapunzel's room and slammed the door in a rather ungraceful and abrupt manner, nearly whipping Pascal off of his shoulder. Pressing himself against the door and trying to steady his breathing from the heart attack he nearly gave himself, he instantly froze as he noticed the petite figure on the bed, which let out a quiet moan and lazily shifted to the side.

_Way to go, Eugene, _the young man scoffed in his mind, no longer feeling congratulatory…or coordinated. _You nearly woke her up, you idiot!_

Holding back one moment and making sure that the princess really _was_ asleep, Eugene let out a sigh of relief as the brown-haired young woman became idle once again, the only movement the faint rise and fall of her chest as she breathed slumberous breaths. For a moment, Eugene contemplated leaving and coming back later, when Rapunzel was awake, but that would just run the risk of him getting caught again. Besides, he didn't want to spend one more second away from her.

Creeping slowly towards her bedside as not to cause any more mishaps, Eugene halted at the edge of her bed, dropping to his knees without a sound. His face was just a few inches away from hers, and the sight made his heart sink: Even though her tattered and torn silver ball gown from the previous night had been changed to one of her usual lavender dresses, he could still see remnants from last night's attack. Bandages were scattered over what was visible of her arms, no doubt injuries she had acquired from the Stabbingtons' attack in the forest, but the worst was her face…Across her whole left cheek was a huge blue-black bruise, concealing everything from her cheekbone to the bottom of her jaw. Eugene swallowed, gently raising a finger to brush a stray wisp of hair from her face.

_I did this._

"Oh, Rapunzel…" he breathed, allowing the back of his finger to lightly trail across her jawline, framing the bruise on her face. "I'm so sorry…"

As his fingertip curved slowly and tenderly around her chin and lightly grazed her lip, Rapunzel scrunched up her face with a slight murmur, and Eugene drew back, afraid he might have hurt her. However, she showed no pain as she twitched once again, and then, with a wide yawn, her jade green eyes groggily fluttered open. At the sight of her love at her side, her tired gaze suddenly lit up, and she let out a small gasp, a sluggish but delighted smile spreading across her face.

"Eugene?" she asked quietly, and then was cut off by another yawn. The young man smiled as Pascal leapt from his shoulder and scurried up his friend's arm, rubbing contentedly against her cheek. She smiled through her drowsiness, even managing a little giggle that slightly lifted Eugene's spirits. "Pascal? What are you two doing here?"

"I know, I know, they told me to stay in my room," Eugene shrugged. "But since when am I one to _ever_ follow rules?" He lightly brought his hand forward once again, gently tucking another stray lock of the brunette's hair behind her ear. "Now, then. First things first." He stared softly into her eyes, his gaze going serious. "Are you ok?"

"Am _I_ ok?" Rapunzel echoed, shifting with a stretch into an upright position. Eugene joined her, rising up just to plop back down on the bed at her feet. "Eugene, last time I saw you, you were unconscious! Are _you_ ok?"

"Oh, yes, I forgot," Eugene chuckled. "Passing out. Very manly of me, don't you think?" Goofily flipping his hand in the air and propping the back of it against his forehead, he fell backwards melodramatically onto the bed, landing with an over-exaggerated grace onto the pile of covers. He smiled, though his eyes were closed, as Rapunzel's laughter filled his ears.

"Eugene, I'm serious!" Rapunzel giggled, prodding him in the cheek with her toe. In response, he let his tongue loll out of the corner of his mouth as if he was dead, only to receive another bout of laughter from the princess and a slightly more vicious jab against his face with her foot.

"Ow!" Eugene complained, over-exaggerating his pain by clutching theatrically at where Rapunzel had poked him in the cheek. However, his false cry of pain turned into a real one as the searing pain sliced through his injured shoulder once again, as he had accidently rolled over on it. Wincing, he jolted upwards, rubbing the bandaged area with a groan. "Ow…" he managed a chuckle, "that one really _did_ hurt." He looked at Rapunzel with a smirk. "Word of advice: if someone slices a gash in your shoulder with their sword, it would probably be best not to roll over on it. You know, just saying."

"Yeah, that'd probably be best," Rapunzel chuckled slightly, though Eugene could tell her mind was elsewhere as she scooted towards him, gently laying her tiny hands on his bandaged bicep. She looked deep in thought as she analyzed his wound; in fact, she seemed almost guilty. The smile fell from Eugene's face, and he decided to set the joking aside for a moment.

"Hey…" he coaxed tenderly, peering at her with amber concern flooding his eyes, "You ok?"

Rapunzel swallowed, her eyes still locked on Eugene's bandaging as her fingers lightly feathered over it. Finally, she responded, her voice barely audible.

"I did this."

"_Hey,_" Eugene stopped her immediately, already knowing where this was headed. "Don't even _think_ about blaming yourself for _any_ of this." Rapunzel opened her mouth to object, but Eugene quickly shook his head, adjusting her gaze so he could stare straight into her flawless green orbs. "No, Rapunzel, listen to me. _None of this is your fault_. Don't believe that for _a second_. In fact, if there's anyone to blame for this, it's probably me. I was the one who left like an idiot and got us into this whole mess—"

"_No,_" Rapunzel said sternly, shaking her head. "Eugene, don't you _dare_ say this is your fault."

"Then I don't want you saying it's yours," Eugene responded, and Rapunzel, hesitating a second, finally nodded. "Good."

Eugene reached up and brushed aside the stray lock of brunette hair once again, which somehow kept managing to fall back into the princess's face. Gently tucking it behind her ear, Eugene let out a sigh of disbelief as Rapunzel's bruise was fully exposed, the black and blue discoloration the only flaw on her usually flawless face.

"Rapunzel," Eugene asked quietly, "what did they do to you?"

The brown-haired young woman's hand flew to her cheek, slightly confused. Finally, she realized what Eugene was talking about and let out a depressed sigh. "What…oh, this? One of them…One of them kicked me. In the face. The other one was bending my arms backwards, and…they were both torturing me, just to get me to tell them where you were." Eugene's heart sank as Rapunzel's heartbroken green eyes slowly found their way back and made the connection with his own. "But I couldn't tell them…I knew, even though you were in jail, they'd find a way to get to you, and…" Rapunzel looked down, shuddering as she wrapped her arms around herself, and the young man pulled her close, soothingly rubbing her shoulder. Finally, she looked back up, her voice only a whisper, but still cracking as she spoke. "…Eugene, they would have _killed_ you…" Swallowing, the princess reached up, tenderly stroking the skin of the young man's neck, and Eugene realized that Luther's attempt to strangle him had probably left him bruises of his own. "…They almost _did_."

Eugene sighed through his nose, unable to look Rapunzel in the eye for fear the depression would consume him once again. To think that they had tortured that innocent young woman…just to get to him? And she had been so brave…so strong…to take it all just to be sure he was safe. Well, now they were _both_ safe, and he was going to make sure it stayed that way. Pulling her close and cradling her frame in his arms, Eugene stared down reassuringly at her.

"But they _didn't_," Eugene comforted her, emphasizing his point. "We're both ok now. Everything's ok now. And I'm…I'm _so sorry_ you had to go through all that. But…" he closed her eyes and lightly kissed the top of her head, and then brought her chin up so he could peer straight into her eyes. "…I'm not going to let anything like that _ever_ happen again. _Ever_. I promise. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

As the words, "I promise" passed his lips, Rapunzel gave him a soft smile.

"I love you, Eugene," she said quietly, and now it was Eugene who had to smile.

"Love you, too, Blondie," he responded. "Don't you forget that."

The smile still on her face, she nestled back deeper into the young man's arms, and Eugene wrapped them even more tightly around her, the pain in his shoulder absolutely gone now that he was holding that precious angel. However, just as they both had gotten settled, Eugene heard a sudden _click_ at the door, and, heart freezing, his gaze jerked up just to see the king and queen entering Rapunzel's room, the redheaded maid at their side.

_Busted…_

Eugene's eyes locked awkwardly on the three that had just entered the room, and he felt the weight in his lap shift as Rapunzel quickly scooted aside with Pascal, attempting to save Eugene from getting into any trouble. However, Eugene knew he was probably in trouble already. Not only was he _supposed_ to be waiting in his room, but he had been caught, of all places, with the princess…sitting on her bed…without a shirt…Yeah, things weren't looking too good.

However, much to his bemusement, the only person who looked surprised was the plump young maid, who lingered in the doorway, nervously wringing her hands.

"Oh, I'm—I'm sorry, your majesties…" she stuttered quietly. "I had no idea he was…I…um…"

Queen Amelia smiled softly at the maid, attempting to calm her.

"It's quite alright, Clara," the royal woman soothed. "Edward and I can handle it from here. Thank you."

"Oh—Oh, of course, your majesties…" the maid stammered, and then, with one last respectful bow and an uneasy glance at Eugene, she quickly fled from the room, leaving the family of royals and the ex-thief in silence.

It suddenly registered in Eugene's mind that he was in the presence of royalty, and, fumbling clumsily with the covers that he had managed to roll into, he finally freed himself from the vice-like tangle of sheets. Rising to his feet, he quickly managed a bow, hoping that the bandages around his ribs would cover up for his (rather awkward) lack of shirt.

"Y—Your highnesses…" Eugene trailed off, racking his brain for something to say. However, Queen Amelia held up a gentle hand for quiet, and Eugene stood up straight, still slightly confused by the King and Queen's tender smiles. In fact, King Edward even let out a slight chuckle.

"Relax, Eugene," King Edward grinned, shaking his head lightheartedly as he did so. "We were expecting something along these lines. You've got nothing to worry about," the older man jokingly raised an eyebrow, "unless, of course, there's something you're not telling us."

Eugene let out a relieved sigh, chuckling as he rubbed the back of his neck. "No…no…I just…ah…" his eyes flew to Rapunzel, who flashed him a tiny smile, and he smirked affectionately in return. "I just had to make sure she was alright."

Both the King and Queen smiled knowingly, as if they had expected that to be his response. Eugene then watched as their gazes turned to Rapunzel, and Queen Amelia stepped forward, her eyes flooding with concern as she surveyed the awful bruise on her daughter's face.

"Oh, my goodness…" she breathed in disbelief, reaching forward to lightly brush the bruise and then withdrawing her hand for fear she'd hurt Rapunzel. "I saw this earlier this morning, but I had no idea it was so bad…" Angst flooding her face, the Queen leaned forward and embraced her daughter, and Eugene watched sympathetically as Rapunzel's tiny, bandaged arms wrapped around her mother's frame.

"Oh, Rapunzel…" Queen Amelia breathed, holding her daughter tighter as she spoke. "I'm so sorry…"

"Mother, no," Rapunzel quickly shook her head, "don't say that. It's not your fault!" She pulled back so she could look into her mother's eyes. "Everyone keeps apologizing, but it's not their fault. _Eugene_ even started to blame himself, but look at how much he went through to save me!"

Immediately, all eyes in the room flashed to Eugene, and the young man froze, having not expected all the attention to suddenly be on him. Before he could reply, Queen Amelia stood up and approached him, concernedly surveying his bandaged areas. Her worried green eyes locked on one spot in particular: The gauze around his chest.

"Oh, Eugene…" she gasped in shock, sounding much like a mother concerned for her son. Eugene wasn't quite sure what to say, so he just remained silent. Queen Amelia brought a gentle hand forward to analyze his wound, but she quickly retracted it, gazing up at him with questioning eyes.

"May I?" she requested his permission quietly, and after a moment of hesitation, Eugene finally nodded, gesturing behind him.

"It's…actually my back," he explained, slowly turning around to allow the Queen to observe his injury. He held his breath as he felt the gauze slowly lift from his skin as the brown-haired woman unwrapped the bandaging from his ribs, and he anxiously wondered what her reaction would be…After all, she hadn't even heard _anything_ about his whipping…

But he didn't have to wait long for her response; as soon as she caught sight of the abundant blood-red scars slashed across his back, she let out a gasp, her hand flying to her mouth in a reaction very similar to Rapunzel's when she had first seen his wounds.

"Oh…Oh, my gosh…" Eugene heard the Queen's voice, breathless with shock, from over his shoulder, and out of the corner of his eye Eugene saw her beckon to her husband. King Edward, brow furrowed in concern, approached his wife's side and also began surveying the young man's terrible scars. Eugene had never gotten a chance to fully look at them—there hadn't been a mirror or anything in his prison cell—but from everyone's reaction, he concluded the slashes must have been pretty bad. Heck, if the aftermath was as bad as the pain…

But still, Eugene remained silent, listening intently as the two royals exchanged questions amongst themselves.

"How on earth could they have done this?" Queen Amelia gasped quietly. "Lashings? Edward, do you suppose they—"

"—Couldn't have been them," King Edward broke in. "These are recent, but not brand new. These aren't from last night…I don't think the Stabbingtons had anything to do with this."

"Eugene," the ex-thief's head perked up at Queen Amelia's voice, now directed at him, "who did this to you?"

Eugene immediately tensed. Oh, boy…he should have known this was coming. Granted, it shouldn't be so hard—just tell the truth, blame the Captain and ride off into the sunset, right? Well, easier said than done…Eugene remembered what he had told Rapunzel, about how, if the Captain was gone, all his merry men would still be left behind to avenge him. And not only that, but if his memory served him correctly, it seemed that he and Captain Grant had made amends last night—albeit reluctantly, they still both did. Ordinarily, Eugene—or, rather, Flynn in the past—would have thought this a golden opportunity to reveal the Captain and bid his worst foe farewell with nothing but a smirk and a wave on his way out. But now something was nagging at Eugene and stopping him from throwing the official to the wolves. As surprising as it had been, the Captain _had_ apologized…

But that just left Eugene there, standing silently like an idiot. Finally, with one deep breath, he slowly turned around to face the royals, unable to look either of them in the eye.

"Actually…they're from…um…" Eugene, still not completely sure what to say, stalled for time by looking around the room, as if something would trigger some magical response from him. He couldn't lie—Not to the King and Queen—but if he blamed the Captain and then was resentenced to the prisons after his wounds healed, who knew what a heap of trouble he'd be in? His wandering gaze flitted to Rapunzel, who was still curled up against the headboard of her bed, arms around her knees. But her only reply was her anxious, anticipating jade gaze, and it looked like she was awaiting Eugene's response just as nervously as he was. Finally, the young man let out a sigh, and looked up at the two concerned monarchies, who were still waiting an answer. "It's from—"

"—Me."

Immediately, all eyes shot to the doorway, where the unexpected voice had come from. At the sight of the person in the doorway, Eugene's eyes nearly popped out of his head. However, no one seemed more surprised than the King and Queen, whose most trusted official had just admitted to whipping the man they'd come to think of as their son…

"I did it," Captain Grant admitted guiltily, bowing his head as he entered the room. "The whipping was all my doing, your majesties."

Queen Amelia looked positively stunned, and King Edward completely enraged. He stepped forward towards the Captain, who looked sincerely sorry, much to Eugene's surprise.

"What is the _meaning _of this, Daniel?" the King demanded an answer.

"A bribe," Captain Grant explained, unable to look his leader in the eye. "Something I _never_ should have gotten involved with. I thought nothing of it at first—After all, Rider was just a criminal! But I now see how dishonorable my actions were." Eugene watched, completely blown away, as the Captain knelt down on one knee before the King, bowing his helmeted head and shutting his eyes. "Do with me what you will, your highnesses."

The room was silent for one moment, pure astonishment still lingering in the air. Finally, King Edward opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a sound, Eugene suddenly stepped forward.

"Hey, can I say something?"

Immediately, the Captain's eyes flew open, shooting the young man a fiery glare, as if Eugene's words were only going to dig his grave a little deeper. Eugene ignored the official's furious eyes, knowing, if this worked the way he intended, the Captain would most likely thank him in the long run.

The King looked confusedly at Eugene, and then, after a moment of hesitation, he nodded.

"Very well," King Edward responded. "What is it, Eugene?"

"I, uh…I probably don't have much of a say in this," Eugene began, "but, um, I am, after all, the whipee in this situation. I mean, uh…Heck, I don't even know if that's a term, but…" he quickly shook his head. "I'm getting off-topic. Look, all I'm trying to say is, if you're gonna punish the guy, just…take it easy. He was just doing his job."

The Captain's eyes widened in surprise, as if he couldn't believe his worst foe was standing up for him like that. To be honest, Eugene was even shocking _himself_, but he continued speaking nonetheless.

"Now, of course, I'm not saying I'm _happy_ about being whipped senseless back there. But heck, thinking about it now, if it was me in his shoes," he chuckled under his breath, "Well, I probably would've killed me by now. But what blows my mind is that he actually _apologized_, which, believe me, was the _last _thing I expected from _him_. Look, all I'm trying to put across is, if it makes any difference, don't punish the guy too hard. After all," he managed a mischievous smirk, staring straight at the astonished Captain, "it just wouldn't be the same without the Captain around."

Point across, Eugene ended his speech, and the room fell dead silent once again. King Edward's brow furrowed in consideration, and Queen Amelia's indecisive eyes darted from the Captain, to Eugene, and even to Rapunzel, the Queen still obviously stunned by the Captain's confession—and now, his victim's _standing up for him_. Finally, after a moment of deliberation, she turned to her husband with a quiet sigh, and gave him a subtle nod. The King responded with a nod of his own, and then turned back to Captain Grant, his gaze going from thoughtful to serious.

"Well," he said finally, "I guess Mr. Fitzherbert just did you a favor, Daniel."

Eugene chuckled at the Captain's expression, which was a mix of surprise and baffled embarrassment as his eyes flitted from Eugene, to the King, and then back to the ground. Finally, he let out a stuttered, "Th-thank you, sir."

King Edward shook his head. "Don't thank me," he pointed to Eugene, who was standing on the other side of the room. "_He's _the one you should be thanking."

The Captain looked appalled, his dignity obviously ripped from him in that one swift moment. His stunned eyes locked on Eugene for a split second, but quickly darted back to the ground, clearly peeved that he was going to, of all things, _thank_ the wretched thief that had tormented him all those years. But he did, nonetheless, and though it was a barely audible grumble directed more to the hardwood floor than Eugene, the young man could still hear a murmur of, "Thank you, Ri—Fitzherbert," under the Captain's angry breath.

Eugene grinned, obviously impressed with himself. The Captain thanking _him_…Nice. Maybe even _too_ nice. He'd have to do something to compensate for his rather out-of-character act of compassion. Eh, once this all blew over he'd be sure to sneak into the stables and slip some manure into the Captain's boots or something…

"And Daniel," King Edward added sternly, drilling his eyes into the Captain's, "you _may_ be in charge of criminal matters, but if you _ever_ attempt to torture a criminal without our consent again…"

"Never again," the Captain confirmed, shaking his head. "Rest assured, Your Highnesses, I will _never_ stoop so low as to enforce punishment without your permission, or get caught up in something as shameful as a bribe…"

"Wait a second!" Eugene whirled around as Rapunzel's voice suddenly broke in from behind him, and she jerked upright from her position on the bed, her wide green eyes locking shockingly on Captain Grant. "Did you say 'bribe'?" she shook her head in disbelief. "Who on earth would _bribe_ you to whip Eugene?"

Come to think of it, Eugene _did_ remember the Captain mentioning something about a bribe earlier…He had just been so shocked by the Captain's confession that he had overlooked it. But now Rapunzel's question had piqued his curiosity. All this time he had thought it was the Captain's own doing, but now, to know someone _else_ was behind it?

Once again, all eyes locked on the Captain, impatiently awaiting an answer.

"Oh," the Captain said quietly as he rose to his feet, obviously not expecting the question. "It was…er…" he cleared his throat and, eyebrows furrowed, began snapping his fingers continuously, attempting to recall the person's name. Finally, he snapped his fingers one final time in remembrance, the name finally materializing in his mind. "The…the prince. Robert. Yes, that's his name. He—"

"_Robert?" _All four other voices in the room immediately burst out. The Captain instantly silenced as everyone else in the room simultaneously reacted; Rapunzel rocketed from the bed, her eyes as wide as jade saucers. The Queen let out a gasp, her hand flying to her mouth once again, and King Edward's eyes instantly ignited, flooding with a vicious clash of electric shock and fiery rage. Eugene, though taken aback as well, simply stood, shaking his head. Robert…He should have known he was behind all this! Now it all made sense; that time Robert had pulled out Eugene's wanted poster…That jerk had known about his criminal past all along, which meant he knew _all_ about Flynn Rider—including how much the Captain loathed him. Figured that the crown misunderstanding would serve as a perfect opportunity for Robert to smite his competition. And through the _Captain_, of all people! Well, what else could he expect? Of course _Robert_ wouldn't _dare_ get his perfect white gloves dirty…

Rapunzel, out of everyone in the room, seemed the most infuriated, fists clenched tightly as she stomped over to Eugene's side.

"Robert?" she shrieked angrily, gesturing to Eugene's scars. "All of this was _his_ idea? That horrible, ridiculous little—_Ugh!_ Do you _see_ this?"

"I do," Rapunzel's mother nodded as she breathlessly removed her hand from her mouth. "And I just…" she stopped, mid-sentence, in disbelief, "I mean, I knew Robert was awful, but to do something like _this_?" she shook her head, trying to take it all in. "I—I—I'm just _shocked!_"

"I'm not," Eugene said stonily, and all eyes snapped to him. "I mean, considering all he's done to Rapunzel—"

The young man gestured towards the princess; however, he broke off in the middle of his sentence as he noticed her eyes, wide and troubled, as she stared at her parents. Confused, Eugene's amber gaze darted to the two other royals in the room, and he was surprised to find their expressions both baffled and alarmed. Almost as if…they didn't even…know…

It was then that Eugene came to a realization. Face flooding with concern, he slowly turned to face his love, who still looked completely uneasy.

"Rapunzel," he said gently, his cares for her escalating by the second. "You…you never told them?"

"Never told us what?" Queen Amelia asked, anxiously stepping towards her daughter. "Honey, what's wrong?"

Still focused solely on Eugene, Rapunzel didn't respond to her mother's question, shutting her eyes and shaking her head in response to Eugene's inquiry.

"No," she admitted, swallowing thickly and lowering her voice to just above a whisper. "E—Every time I tried, Robert would just come out of nowhere! I tried to tell them, Eugene…I—I really did try…"

"Tried to tell us _what_, Rapunzel?" King Edward was the one who spoke up this time, though he and his wife both stepped forward, the worry on their faces intensifying with every step they took. The princess still didn't respond, still staring uncomfortably at the floor. Eugene immediately felt sorry for her—he could see how bothered she was by the subject—but this couldn't go on any longer. Robert was who-knew-where, but gone nonetheless, and now was the perfect opportunity. Her parents _had_ to know.

For her sake.

"Rapunzel," Eugene laid a soothing hand on her shoulder, gazing reassuringly into her eyes. "You need to tell them. _Now._"

The princess took a deep breath and then finally nodded, turning to her parents while wringing her tiny little hands together. Eugene gave her shoulder one last comforting squeeze, and then watched as she stepped forward, approaching the still-concerned King and Queen.

"Mother…Daddy…" Rapunzel began, staring uneasily at the floor. "There's been something I've been meaning to tell you…And I—I guess I've just been scared. Scared you wouldn't be able to do anything about it, scared it would only get worse from here…" she let out a deep sigh, finally managing to meet her parents' eyes. "But I don't wanna be scared anymore."

Eugene smiled warmly at her, an approving gleam in his eye. _That_ was the fearless Blondie he had been waiting for.

"Robert…Robert's gone too far," Rapunzel explained. "That night—Mother, you remember…when you went to get the water? H—he came into my room that night, and right away, I could tell something wasn't' right. Before I knew it, h—he forced a kiss on me! And before that, he had been feeling me…"

Eugene's head snapped up, his smile disappearing in an instant. His stunned gaze locked on her, and he felt a surge of protectiveness shoot through him as he mentally argued whether or not he had just heard what he thought he had heard.

"Wait, he _touched_ you?' Eugene asked, shocked. "I thought you just said he made you uncomfortable! I didn't know you meant he was putting his slimy little _hands_ on you!"

Rapunzel nodded, and Eugene could feel his heart twist inside his chest, wringing out a fiery red fury into his veins. To think that Robert would _dare _put his filthy hands on her…

"At the ball, too. All night, he was just putting those gloves of his where they didn't belong. And he kept insulting me, and threatening me…" Rapunzel closed her eyes, and Eugene attempted to take her hand as gently as he could, despite the seething hatred currently instructing his fists to break something. Finally, Rapunzel opened her eyes, now directing her gaze to Eugene. "That one night…I snuck out to find Eugene in the storm? Well, Robert caught me, and when I refused to go with him, he shoved me against the wall of an alley, and started talking to me like he _owned_ me, and threatening to make my life miserable if I didn't start acting like it!"

Ok, that was it. Eugene now had _no choice_ but to let her hand go. After all, if he clenched his fists any tighter, he would surely break Rapunzel's hand. Now he just stared, fuming, at the ground, focusing on not breaking his _own _hands, considering how tightly they were scrunched.

"But that wasn't the worst," Rapunzel continued, Eugene's fingernails digging deeper into his palms with every word she said. "The worst was when the Stabbingtons burst into the ballroom, and they started to kidnap me…" suddenly, her sad tone faded and was replaced with a voice seeping with betrayal and anger, eyes flashing to match. "Even though I was calling out to him, he just…looked straight at me and ran! He hid like a coward; letting them carry me off, knowing _very_ _well_ they were out for blood. He was just going to leave me to _die_!" Point across, Rapunzel finally let out a sigh, though Eugene could barely hear it—his senses felt numb as Rapunzel's last few words echoed in his brain. _Leave her to die…_

The room fell silent, both of Rapunzel's parents staring, wide-eyed, at their daughter, mouths gaping as they took in everything they had just heard. Meanwhile, Eugene still stood, trying to contain himself as much as he could, for fear he'd just lose it and start raving like a madman if anything _else_ pushed him over the edge. Finally, Rapunzel broke through the silence.

"But…I shouldn't be griping," the brown-haired young woman shook her head. "_I'm_ fine, no one really actually _hurt_ me. If anyone should be complaining, it's Eugene," she gestured to him, though he barely even noticed as the unfathomable anger began to swallow him whole. "After all, he—" suddenly, she stopped mid-sentence, noticing the blatant fury on his face and his painfully clenched fists. "Eugene?"

"_No,_" Eugene said grimly, through gritted teeth, his infuriated gaze still locked on the hardwood floor. "No, Rapunzel, I—I'm never going to let him hurt you again…" His head finally raised, his blazing eyes gazing straight into Rapunzel's. "If he so much as even _thinks_ about touching you again…I swear, I'll just—_Ugh!_ That sick, disgusting, son of a—"

"—Y—Your Majesties?"

The sudden voice cut Eugene off, and his furious gaze snapped towards the newly-appeared figure in the doorway, the guard who he recognized as Conli. By the way Conli responded to Eugene's glare, the young man realized his face probably looked like he was out for murder right then. But Eugene didn't care. He still felt like punching a hole through something—Robert, preferably.

"I—I'm sorry, Your Highnesses…" Conli stuttered meekly, only becoming more anxious as his Captain gave him a stern glare. "I—I—Am I interrupting a—anything?"

"Spit it out, Conli," the Captain commanded brusquely to his inferior, who was practically shaking in his boots. Conli's eyes flitted to the King for consent, who also nodded.

"Go ahead," King Edward addressed him.

"I—I just thought you'd might like to know," the naturally panicky guard stammered, wringing his gloved hands, "we've…ah…we were finally able to make it to D—Dolus, and…um…we were able to recover P—Prince Robert, Your Majesties…"

"_What?_" Rapunzel shrieked, accompanied by a sharp squeak from Pascal, who had been quiet up until then. Before anyone else could respond, she angrily raced towards the door, rushing past Conli and out of the room. Eugene, without any second thoughts, quickly trailed after her, Pascal skittering along at his heels. Conli quickly shrunk back as Eugene stormed past the guard, fists still clenched wrathfully as he thought of everything that Rapunzel had just confessed to him. Pretty soon, he could hear the clicks of Queen Amelia's shoes and the thumps of King Edward's boots behind him as well, but he kept walking, nonetheless, mind set on reaching his destination.

"Sh—should I be doing something, sir?" Eugene heard Conli nervously ask the Captain from over his shoulder.

"Just get back to your post, Conli," the Captain commanded. "I have to go check with the boys back from patrol. Just…Let them be. I think the four of them need to have _a word_ with Prince Robert."

_A word,_ Eugene scoffed in his mind, already beginning to descend down the staircase that would lead him to the bottom floor of the castle, and, eventually, outdoors, where he would finally confront that stupid marshmallow face-to-face. _Sure. That's what this is._

And as Eugene thought of all that he had just discovered, he felt the crescents of his fingernails cut into his palms once again, overcome with fury.

Oh, this was going to be _much_ more than just "a word".

O-O-O-O-O

_"You!"_

Rapunzel's accusation was the first thing that filled the air as soon as the foursome stepped foot outside, and Eugene nearly felt his anger boil over as his eyes locked on Robert, who had just finished stepping out of an enclosed white carriage parked right outside the castle. As soon as the young woman's voice rang out, the Prince's icy blue eyes darted upwards, and immediately upon snapping to the princess, flooded with ire.

"_You!_" his own outcry echoed Rapunzel's, and the marshmallow-suited prince—whose outfit was stained in some kind of faded pink liquid, Eugene noticed—stomped irately towards the princess and her followers, who approached him just as heatedly.

"I can't _believe_ you!" Rapunzel shrieked, fire blazing in her eyes as she finally met the prince nose-to-nose, who looked just as infuriated. Out of the corner of his eye, Eugene spotted the Queen stepping forward to confront the enraged prince, but King Edward gently held her back, plainly expressing that he wanted to allow his daughter to fight her _own_ battles. However, the princess seemed too riled up to notice. "To think that you would even have the _nerve_ to do something like that to Eugene—"

"What on earth are you blathering about now?" Robert spat.

"We know all about your little _plot_, Robert!" the princess retaliated. "Everything! _You_ bribed the Captain to whip Eugene! How could you even _do_ something like that?"

"He _deserved_ it!" Robert's glare snapped to Eugene, staring him down with pure distain. "Look at him—In the presence of a respected prince and he doesn't even have the decency to put on a _shirt_!"

Eugene opened his mouth to say something, but Rapunzel was just as fired up as he was. "And the only reason for that is because of what _you_ did to him! You couldn't win me over on your own, so you had to play dirty, didn't you? And now he's probably got those scars for the rest of his life! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Robert simply scoffed, and though Eugene was expecting something along those lines, it still sent another surge of fury through him. "He brought it upon _himself_! That sordid little criminal—Princess, I don't know if you recall, but this is _Flynn Rider_ we're talking about! The iniquitous thief! He's stolen countless things from_ countless_ people, including your very own _crown_, princess! Twice! Why, ever since he was a petty little orphan, he's been swiping things out from underneath people's noses—"

"Wait," Rapunzel suddenly broke in, "how is it that you know so much about him?"

Robert seemed a bit thrown off by the question, but quickly regained his stature, standing tall and glaring down at Rapunzel. "Why, I…His infamy has spread much farther than Corona, Princess," Robert quickly conjured up an excuse. "And after all, I _do_ also make it a point to be well-informed about my competition…"

"_Competition?_" Rapunzel shook her head in disgust. "That's what I am to you? Some kind of _game?_"

"One that I was _winning_, I might add," Robert grinned triumphantly, much to Eugene's disgust. However, that grin quickly faded, and Robert's eyes drilled right into Eugene's. "That is, until a certain little _bandit_," he jabbed the forefinger of his white glove (well, _used-to-be_ white—Eugene noticed his glove was _also_ stained a shade of discolored pink) at Eugene's chest, "decided to get in my way. And then _you_, Princess…" his furious eyes snapped to the equally incensed young woman. "How _dare_ you pull such an act of impropriety like you did at that ball! Shove me into a _punch_ bowl? Why, you don't even _deserve_ to be called royalty!"

Wait, what? Rapunzel did _what? _In that instant, images of the marshmallow-suited prince toppling into an enormous bowl of punch flashed through Eugene's mind, and he couldn't help but snort with laughter at the thought. Robert, not missing a thing, immediately secured his livid gaze on Eugene, staring at him like he was a pebble in his boot.

"_Shut up, _you revolting pest," he commanded, and all of Eugene's humorous thoughts evaporated, reminding him why he had been so enraged in the first place. "Or shall I have to put you back in your place?"

"_My _place?" Eugene countered. "Why, _your majesty_," his voice dripped with sarcasm, "it seems that it's _you_ who's forgotten _yours_."

"Oh, so now you're trying to pin this on _me?_" Robert retaliated, leaning in so close to Eugene's face that the pair's noses were nearly touching. Eugene didn't flinch one bit, not even when the marshmallow suited prince practically spat in his face. "_Please_. Don't make me snicker."

"Don't make you sn—_What?" _Eugene stared at the prince, baffled at his sheer stupidity. Before he could say anything else, Rapunzel shoved her way in between them, thrusting Robert aside.

"_Look_," she said firmly, narrowing her eyes, "I don't care how great you _think_ you are. After everything you've done to me…to _Eugene_…" she flung out an arm towards the young man, and then lowered her voice grimly, glaring straight into a shocked Robert's eyes. "Well, you deserved _every_ _second_ of that humiliation."

Robert's frost blue eyes, wide with shock at the princess's sudden boldness, suddenly erupted into a blizzard of ice blue fury, and without warning, he drew back his hand, ready to strike her full-on across the face. However, as soon as he swung his outstretched hand forward, Eugene lunged between the two royals and snatched Robert's wrist, gripping with a rock-solid fist. The irritated prince began struggling, but Eugene just tightened his grip, looming in threateningly towards Robert's face, Eugene's breaths coming ruggedly and wrathfully through his nose. After realizing his struggling was pointless, Robert's eyes finally met Eugene's, and, as much as he was trying to hide it, Eugene could see the blatant fear within the prince's ice blue orbs. Robert's weakness just drove him to lean in even closer, and give the young prince the most menacing glare he could muster.

"If you _ever_ lay a finger on her again," Eugene threatened through gritted teeth, "you're gonna be in some _royal_ _pain_. _Got that?_"

Robert swallowed, trying to look brave as he narrowed his eyes, though they were still swimming with fright. Finally, a muttered, "Fine," escaped his lips, and, with one last constricting grip for good measure, Eugene released his wrist, flinging him backwards slightly in the process. Meanwhile, Rapunzel looked on with wide eyes from over Eugene's shoulder, though the young man barely even noticed her—His hostile amber orbs were still deadlocked on Robert, who was fumbling with his outfit attempting to regain his suave composure. Finally, he straightened out his stained black-and-white suit, and, to Eugene's surprise, he let out a chuckle. A sly grin sweeping over his face, he began striding towards Eugene with his chest puffed out and thin arms clasped behind his back, though Eugene's aggressive glare still remained unwavering. Finally, Robert came to a slow halt next to the young man's ear, and his obnoxious yet malicious accent lowered to but a whisper.

"Such a pity, though," Robert whispered, and Eugene's felt his fists clench once again as the snobby prince's voice crawled up his spine. "I was _so_ looking forward to ravishing your little darling back at the ball last night…Ah, well. Looking back on it now, it would have been a waste of my time. I deserve _so_ much better anyway, don't you think?"

Eugene froze, the overwhelming anger stabbing through him once again, now more intense than ever. Robert, seemingly pleased with Eugene's reaction, pivoted on his heel and turned to leave, the sly grin still plastered on his face. Eugene, fists shaking with fury, glared straight down at the floor, Robert's words echoing in his head.

"_I deserve _so_ much better anyway, don't you think?_"

"What you deserve…" Eugene's voice came out stone-cold, and Robert whirled around to acknowledge him. "…Is _this!_"

Before anyone could react, Eugene flung his fist forward, full-speed, and everyone around him let out a sharp gasp as it collided with Robert's nose, accompanied with a loud _crack_. The prince, with a cry of pain, instantly tumbled to the floor, one of his hands flying to his nose, which immediately began gushing crimson blood. Dazed, he quickly skittered to his feet, taking a moment to gaze in shock at his blood-stained red glove, which he quickly slammed back against his nose, using his free hand to point an accusatory finger directly at Eugene.

"How _dare_ you?" Robert cried out, a torturously nasally twinge added to his already horrendous accent. "_Look ad whad you've done!_ Look ad dis—" he stared disgustedly down at his bloodied glove once again, and then, with a muffled huff, pressed his hand against his nose and furiously turned back towards the carriage, his punch-stained cape whipping out behind him. "Dat's id! I refuse to take adymore of dis!"

"Wait!" Rapunzel stepped forward, and Robert whirled around furiously to face her, being sure to keep his distance for fear another assault would come his way. "Where do you think _you're_ going?"

"Where else?" Robert retaliated. "Away from _you_! All of you disgusding Coronians...All of you! You're all de same! I'm gedding out of dis wredched kingdom, and _away _from all you _wredched_ people!"

"Well, as much as we'd _both_ love to see that happen," Rapunzel narrowed her eyes, "this stupid law still says we're getting married! So now that Eugene's finally knocked some _sense_ into you, why don't we just go to the council—"

Robert half-scoffed, half-snorted, which only caused him to wince in pain. But he put his hand on the handle of the carriage, preparing to leave nonetheless. "You naïve liddle Princess…" he shook his head. "You just don'd _ged_ id, do you? Back in _Crepacuore, _we aren'd all bound by dese ridiculous laws! Mumsy and Fadder do whadever I ask of dem! And if I want Crepacuore's marriage law abolished, so be id!"

"_Mumsy?_" Eugene muttered under his breath. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and his glare once again snapped to the prince. "Wait! So you could have gotten rid of this stupid law all along?"

"_My _kingdom's law," Robert spat, "and dat was only if _I_ wanded it! Which, right now…" he glared lividly at Rapunzel and Eugene, "…kingship or nod, this is de _last_ kingdom I'd wish to be in charge of, and _you_, Princess, are de _last_ woman I'd ever wand to marry! _Good riddance!_"

With one final arrogant huff, Robert flung open the door to the carriage with his free hand, shouting some commands to the baffled driver. He furiously threw himself inside, slamming the door to the carriage. However, he snagged his cape in the door in the process, and Eugene couldn't help but laugh as he flung the carriage door back open, shouting nasally profanities as he yanked his cape back inside, and finally slamming the door so hard it nearly broke off of its hinges. In an instant, the carriage driver, still looking hopelessly confused, snapped his reins and his horses were off, and Eugene watched, shocked, as the carriage began its departure, growing smaller and smaller as it began winding over the hills of Corona.

Robert was gone.

"Well," Eugene chuckled, attempting to break the awkward silence as the carriage became but a white speck in the distance, "that wasn't very prince-like, now was it?"

"Eugene?"

Eugene whirled around at the sound of his name, soft as a kitten's breath from behind him. It was then he spotted Rapunzel, her face flooded with astonishment as she gazed at him, as if she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Come to think of it, Eugene couldn't really believe it either. And the more he turned it over in his mind, the more shocking it was…

_Robert was gone._

Realization flooding through him, he shook his head, still able to comprehend it all. The King and Queen, still watching from the sidelines, seemed equally as shocked, still trying to take it all in. Eugene was almost afraid this was just some kind of crazy dream…It was almost too good to be true…

Without warning, a sudden force slammed against him, and he nearly staggered backwards as Rapunzel propelled herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. After recovering the sudden breath that had been knocked out of him, he returned her embrace, wrapping his strong arms tightly around her frame. He nestled his face into her pixie-cut brown hair, taking in her sweet scent. Suddenly, she rose up on her tiptoes, and a lungful of air caught in Eugene's throat as her breath tickled his ear.

"Eugene…" she whispered in disbelief. "We're free."

At the sound of her words, an astonished half-chuckle, half-gasp came from Eugene, and the young man embraced her even tighter, gratitude surging through his being. _Free…_

She was so right. As hard as it was to believe, the one boundary between them…gone. No more Robert. No more struggles. No more _anything_ keeping them apart. Everything was going to be ok now—he was sure of it—because right then, everything was perfect. That beautiful angel was in his arms, her warmth encircling his very soul, and she wasn't going to be ripped away from him anymore.

Eugene Fitzherbert knew freedom. He knew what it was like to be on your own, with no boundaries, no limitations…just free to do whatever the heck you want to do. He knew what it was like to escape from prison, after seeing your life flash before your eyes just as you were on your way to your demise. He knew what it was like to be pardoned, after a bounty being on your head for years and suddenly, _nothing_. All charges dropped, all offenses…vanished. He knew what it was like to be free. He'd been there plenty of times. But nothing like this. Taking in Rapunzel's warmth, breathing in her sweetness…knowing she was _here_…with _him_. _Free…_

This…

This is what _real_ freedom felt like.

* * *

><p><strong>For the record, near the end, that was Robert's nasally "I just got punched in the nose voice"! Not my "Sheep1215 can't spell worth a flip voice what the crap just happened she just acquired the freakin voice of Mr. Gru from Despicable Me O.o" It sounded sort of weird when I read over it.<strong>

**I hope you guys liked this chapter! In my opinion, it was just ok. TOO...FREAKIN...LONG...THOUGH... *Dies***

**Now, um...Back to what I said earlier, about Bob.**

**Ok.**

**For those of you who _don't_ know, I got a review a little while back from an anonymous reviewer who called themselves "Bob". Now, I'm not really going to go into detail, but the majority of it basically said that I was taking too long to update, tons of people were going to abandon my story, and now, looking back on it, my writing style is "bad" and "cheesy". This sort of caused a little uproar for a few of my reviewers... :P Some retaliated, some agreed, just a bunch of random stuff happened, and I felt really bad about all of it because I was _really really_ trying to update but I just couldn't. You know life. It gets in the way. **

**Anyway, I ended up deleting Bob's comment, and I got a few new reviews asking why. I understand what they were saying-Freedom of speech and such, and when I delete my bad reviews, I look like a bad sport. I know exactly what you guys are saying, and I kind of agree with you. However, there is a level of _tact _that I really think needs to come with a review like that. Even if it's criticism, I'll gladly take it into consideration! And I don't just delete every bad review I get. I know that I need to improve. _I know that_. I'm not perfect. In fact, in my opinion, I'm not even a big fan of my own writing, most of the time. And I also know I took _forever_ to update. Like I said, I'm _really really_ sorry. And I really appreciate everyone who asked me (nicely) to update-That just shows me that you guys are still interested in ATRM and that makes me feel really good about it. But when somebody comes on and starts calling my writing "bad" and "cheesy", saying that I've "lost their interest" and they're going to move on to some "better stories", that, um...kind of sorta...makes me feel like crap. I understand you guys were probably upset with me. And it's ok to let me know that. But please...I deleted the comment because there's a level of consideration that should come with writing a review like that. I dunno...it just kinda got to me. Perhaps I was just taking it too personally. **

**Nonetheless, I just want to thank everyone who stood up for me, too, and everyone who's still here reading and reviewing this story. As you might have noticed, I've deleted all the reviews concerning or having anything to do with the whole "Bob" episode, just to be fair. I really don't want to make anyone upset. I love all you guys, and I just want to thank you all so much for reading. You guys are _everything_ to me, and without you, ATRM just wouldn't be possible. Really and truly. I love you all. (And if you're reading this, "Bob", yes, I even love you. Thanks for coming back and reading! :D)**

**Thanks for listening to my random rambling. :-P And I also want to thank you guys for reading ATRM! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! The story's not over yet! I expect about three to four more chapters before we're all through. Be sure to drop a review on your way out, pretty please!**

**Mr. Gru: De physical appearance of de "please" makes no difference. It ees still no.**

**I THOUGHT I SAID YOU WEREN'T IN THIS STORY! .**

**Hehehehehehe...I need a nap. :P**

**MORE SOON! :)**


	25. Rapunzel Fitzherbert

**OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBER! D:  
>lol...I'm the most terrible person on the planet... :S<strong>

**Not only did I not update IN FOREVER, but my last update was sent out just as a notice for AskRobert (which, by the way, is another thing I haven't updated in FOREVER D':) and I'm afraid I might have built up a bunch of people's hopes for nothing with the alert on that. I just want to apologize SO DEEPLY to you guys for that, and assure you that, yes, this is an update, at last. A real update. Chapter 25. A bit shorter than usual and also not as amazing as I'd have liked it to be, but it's just...Gah. I don't know. I've just been really out of it recently.**

**But that's no excuse. I know you guys are probably really upset with me for not updating for THE LONGEST TIME, but you guys have every right to be mad. There's nothing wrong with that. I just want to let you know that I apologize, even though that doesn't really change the uber long period of waiting for you guys. But if it means anything, I really AM sorry. Feel free to pulverize me with juggling clubs, harpoon guns, frying pans, or any other weapon of your choice.**

**But before I go into this chappie, I just want to thank you guys for being SO INCREDIBLE. I've had people PM me asking me how I've been doing, and even check up on me on DeviantArt. I was simply touched that you guys took the time to think of me... :') I'd wondered if you guys even remembered this story (and I) existed anymore, seeing as I've been M.I.A. for so long.**

**Alright, this author's note needs to end, like, now, but let me state just a few more facts that I NEED to let you know.**

**1. This story IS going to get finished. No doubt. Don't worry about that for a second.**

**2. There are about two more chapters left after this.**

**3. AskRobert is going to take a bit to respond (it's taken a bit to correspond the art with the questions) but I'm still accepting questions. Thank you all for the ones you've submitted! They've just made my day! (And whoever asked, "Are you possessed?" Um, you're amazing. Just sayin'.)**

**4. I'm still accepting fanart, though I certainly don't deserve any... :/ Thanks for all the ones that have been submitted-You guys are just incredible.**

**5. I'll still looking at all your reviews. Still loving them. Still loving you guys. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.**

**OH! AND I ALMOST FORGOT! HYT! HYT! ATRM WAS FEATURED ON HYT! SO MANY ACRONYMS! CELEBRATION! WHOOOOOOO! *Flies around with derpy grin on her face, only to crash into a telephone pole.* Ow...**

**But yeah...Guess who cried legit tears when that happened? Thank you SO much, Lucy in the Sky with Dimonds (GO READ SOME OF HER STUFF! :D) for submitting that to them! GAH! You're just-you're just...Come here. *HUGS***

**I'm gonna stop rambling now...**

****"Let's make this...TRANSPIRE!"****

**Me: WILL MAKING OF STEALING TANGLED NOW!**

**Disney Worker: Wait, what?**

**Me: *grabs Tangled rights* MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHA IS STEALING OF DOCUMENT OF CURRENT! IS BYEING OF YOU! :D**

**Disney Worker: *PULLS OUT MAGICAL LIGHTSABER OF DESTINY AND SLICES MY ARM OFF, FREEING THE TANGLED DOCUMENT* Dude...you know in the like, bajillion years you've been gone, our security technology has advanced by like, a thousand percent, right?**

**Me: :'( Is sadly.**

**I DOES NOT OWNING OF TANGLED! :[ ]**

**P.S., The chapter song to chapter 25 is "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum! Well, um, that's just the first half. The second half...eh...I have no clue. :P**

* * *

><p>Tomorrow…<p>

Tomorrow, Rapunzel reflected, everything would make sense again. Tomorrow, everything would become, as her parents called it, "official," and everything would go back to exactly the way things _should have been_ all along. Tomorrow, everything would be _perfect_.

The only problem was waiting that long.

Seated, comfortably perched upon the squishy layer of covers at the edge of her bed, the princess absentmindedly swung her dangling legs back and forth, like a pendulum to the clock that seemed to be _refusing_ to move. At her side was Pascal, who seemed to be staring intently at the wall but in reality was probably thinking about nothing in particular. Rapunzel, however, had only one thing on her mind. Those near 24 hours of _waiting…_

Tomorrow, they would go before the council—Not just the King and Queen this time, but Rapunzel, Eugene…All of them, her parents made sure of that. They'd waited long enough to speak their cases, and now they'd finally get the chance. Now that Robert was gone, things would definitely change. Sure, during his post-injury ranting Robert had announced that he was planning on abolishing the marriage law in Crepacuore, but that ridiculous royal marriage law was still firm in Corona. And even though Rapunzel was overjoyed that Lord of the Marshmallows wouldn't end up being her prospective groom, there was still only one person she wished would fill that now-empty slot. And that couldn't happen as long as that stupid law was around.

But all that would change…tomorrow.

_But why does tomorrow have to be so far away? _Rapunzel asked herself, letting out an exasperated sigh. Sure, it was nighttime as she sat there, meditating, but still, their meeting with the council would occur not even the next morning, but next _afternoon_. She wondered why time always seemed slower when one was looking forward to something. If an hour was still an hour, why did it seem like a year…?

Still lost in thought, the princess found herself absentmindedly stroking at the golden locket at her neck. After all the chaos that had occurred, it was a wonder that she had still managed to keep hold of it. As she felt the chill of the gold under her fingertips, memories came flooding back to her brain, as if the mere touch of the locket opened a gateway to her mind. A river of images flowed through Rapunzel's psyche of _him—Eugene—_their moments in the courtyard, dancing in the square, even moments before this whole Robert fiasco had occurred. She prayed that tomorrow's appeal would only lead to _more_ of those memories made, if everything was successful…

Gosh, couldn't time go any _faster_?

"You're just in your own little world over there, aren't you?"

The sudden voice gave Rapunzel a near heart attack, and she whirled around with a jolt to spot Eugene, back propped against the doorway of her room, arms crossed as he grinned slyly at her. Rapunzel smiled, relieved it was just him, as she attempted to catch her breath.

"Oh, my gosh, Eugene!" she gasped. "You scared me!"

"I'm sorry," he apologized playfully, looking jokingly as if he'd been offended. "Am I _that_ scary? I had no idea!"

Rapunzel giggled, rolling her eyes. Eugene grinned back at her; however, he still remained in the doorway. After a wordless moment, he then cleared his throat and gestured to the room before him. "So…May I come in, your royal majesty?"

Rapunzel smirked at him, playing along. "I dunno…That 'royal majesty' line sounded an awful lot like something you-know-who would say…"

"Well, hodgepodge to that!" Eugene's voice immediately shot up in pitch as he strode into the room, and Rapunzel could barely keep herself from bursting into hysterical laughter at Eugene's imitation of Robert's accent. "How could you not allow_ me_, Prince Robert, sovereign Lord of the Marshmallows, entrance into your room? Why, you treat that no-good petty little Fitzherbert man like a _king_ compared to how you treat me! But I guess I can't blame you—He is, after all, undeniably far more amazing than I, and not to mention, about a million times more devilishly handsome…Oh, well—Tally-ho, pip-pip, malarkey, and snickerdoodles and all that jazz…"

By now, the princess was doubled over in laughter, tears beginning to spring to her eyes. Eugene was sitting at her side on the bed, abandoning his Robert demeanor as he smirked at her, gently rubbing her back.

"Easy, Blondie…Caaaaaaaaalllllm down," he chuckled in disbelief as the princess still continued, face red with laughter. "Oh, my gosh, Rapunzel, breathe!"

Finally, the princess recovered from her bout of uncontrollable laughter, and she took in a deep breath as she wiped away the remaining tears from her green eyes. In the back of her mind, she thought about how it had been so long since she had cried due to _happiness…_Gosh, it was one of the most amazing feelings ever, after everything they'd both had to endure…

"So, seriously," Eugene grinned. "What was going on in that pretty little head of yours before I scared the daylights out of you?"

"Oh," the princess let out a sigh. "I was just…thinking."

"I figured that much."

Rapunzel smiled ever so slightly and then stared down at her feet. "No, I was just…I'm just driving myself crazy thinking about tomorrow."

"The council?"

Rapunzel nodded. "The anticipation is _killing _me."

"Well," Eugene said, letting out a breath as he plopped casually backwards onto the bed, nearly landing on Pascal, whom he smiled at apologetically as the little reptile let out a squeak. He crossed his arms behind his head and crossed his legs, grinning casually at Rapunzel. "Worrying about it isn't gonna do much of anything, now is it? Blondie, what you need to do is be more laid-back…Like me."

"Oh, yes," Rapunzel rolled her eyes, jabbing a finger playfully into his stomach, "the world would be a _much_ better place if everyone acted _just like you_."

"Precisely," Eugene's grin just grew wider as he closed his eyes, even kicking his boots off for a more casual effect. "You just need to think positive, Blondie—With Snobbert gone, what point does the council have to even keep that rule anymore?"

"And of course that makes sense," Rapunzel nodded, "to everyone but the council, it seems. I mean, think about it—Think about all the decisions they've made since this whole marriage situation came up! I don't mean to be rude or anything, but it seems like _none_ of the choices they've gone through with were especially sensible…It seems like they wouldn't even take a second to put themselves in my shoes. All they could focus on was keeping me from you…" With a sigh of exasperation, she shut her eyes and plopped backwards on the bed, right next to Eugene. "I just don't know. I guess I can't help being anxious about it."

"Well, you just need to look on the bright side," Rapunzel could feel Eugene shift slightly beside her, though her eyes were still closed. "If all goes well tomorrow, _which it will_," another shift, and suddenly, his breath was tickling her ear. She gasped ever so slightly, not expecting it, but then smiled contentedly. She'd missed having him that close. "I'm going to end up marrying the bravest, smartest, sweetest, most _beautiful_ girl in the world."

Rapunzel opened one eye and smirked mischievously at him. "Now, whoever said I was planning on marrying _you_?"

Eugene made a noise that was a cross between a gasp and a chuckle. "Ohhh, Blondie…Now _that_ was cold."

Rapunzel closed her eye again with a satisfied giggle. It was always so much fun teasing him.

_WHAM!_

The princess's eyes flew open as a squashy but violently blunt force slammed unexpectedly against her face, and, still caught completely off-guard, she shot upward to spot Eugene sitting up beside her, a large purple bed-pillow gripped in his hands and a broad smile painted on his face.

"Couldn't resist," Eugene shrugged.

His comment was promptly replied by a pink pillow colliding with his jaw.

Within seconds the two of them were engaged in a semi-vicious duel to the death, a crescendo of shouts, squeals, laughter, and slams of pillows sounding from every which way. In fact, there was so much chaos going on that Rapunzel resorted to swinging blindly, trying her best to defend herself from the stuffed projectiles being flung at her everywhere she looked. So caught up in the battle, she was completely caught off guard as a pair of arms shot out and wrapped around her waist, and she let out yet another squeal as Eugene tumbled with her through the flurry of pillows, knocking half of them off the bed as she thrashed wildly.

"Eugene—Eugene, let me _go!_" she shouted, nearly kneeing him in the stomach.

"Not until you take back that last comment!" he half-chuckled, half-grunted, as it was difficult to keep a flailing eighteen-year old girl in one's arms for more than a brief period of time.

"And why—" Rapunzel grunted, still struggling with a huge grin on her face. "Should I do that—" Suddenly, her flailing fist slammed against Eugene's nose, and she let out a gasp as he quickly released her, his hand flying to his nose. "Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh…I'm so sorry—Are you ok?"

"You should do it," Eugene chuckled, grinning as he rubbed at his injury, "because you just assaulted my poor nose. You owe me."

"Well, you assaulted Robert's nose," Rapunzel pointed out. "Does that mean you owe him, too?"

The look on Eugene's face in response to that was priceless.

Rapunzel giggled and fell back on top of him, smiling. "Besides, you cheated. You deserved that bop in the nose."

"Oh, did I?" Eugene grinned roguishly at her from over her shoulder. "Princess, you should know by now—All's fair in love and war."

Rapunzel turned over so she was still lying on his chest, but now face to face with him. "I think I like love better."

"I agree, Blondie…I most definitely agree."

Rapunzel barely even heard what he said, as her eyes had already locked on his. She was lost in their glistening amber depths, being swept closer to him by the shimmering affection within them…

And before she knew it, her lips were right against his.

Eugene welcomed the kiss almost immediately, and Rapunzel's eyes closed with pleasure. Her hands subconsciously wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer, and she felt herself floating as his strong arms found their place around her waist. Second by second, the kiss intensified, and pretty soon, she felt his tongue brush her lips, pleading for entry. The princess allowed it, and her heart soared as she felt the passion surge through her like a lightning bolt. Oh, gosh, she had never had a kiss like this before…

She hardly even noticed as his hands began travelling along the curves of her hips, but heck, she didn't mind. Lost in this moment, just him, and her…Pure magic…

Suddenly, the hands around her waist abruptly went stiff, and for some reason, his lips didn't seem to be cooperating as much anymore. Rapunzel still continued, her heart and mind still submerged in all that was going on; so much, so, that the incoherent mumble from Eugene did nothing to stop her.

"Mmmft—" it came, quiet at first, and then again, just piercing ever so slightly through the princess's senses. "Rapumfptzel—"

She didn't quite understand what he was doing, but Rapunzel was too love-struck to notice…Oh, gosh…

"Ra—_Rapunzel!"_

Suddenly, he drew back as far as he could, and the princess stopped in surprise, jolting backwards herself. Her heart sank as she looked at him, as he did not look very happy, rather, concerned. The princess, however, was purely confused.

"W—What's wrong?" Rapunzel asked timidly, sure she had done something wrong. D—Did he not like kissing her, or something…?

Eugene immediately seemed to read her thoughts, because he quickly shook his head. "No, no Blondie, it's not you. It's just…" he let out a sigh. "We can't, ok? Not right now."

"Can't? Can't what?"

"We just…" Eugene looked away for a second, and then let out yet another sigh, looking back to gaze seriously into her eyes. "_I don't want to be another Robert._"

"What?" Rapunzel gasped in disbelief, shaking her head that Eugene would even compare himself to someone as lowly as Robert. "What on earth are you talking about? Eugene, you're _nothing_ like Robert! Whatever makes you think—"

"Just, not right now, Blondie," Eugene stopped her with another shake of the head. "I'm sorry. I would have loved to continue, but…It just doesn't feel appropriate right now. And I know appropriateness isn't _always_ at the top of my head, just…Ugh." He looked deep in thought for a second, as if mapping out his sentences in his mind. "Look, let's just wait until after tomorrow, ok? After we get an answer, after this all settles down…"

"But, why?" Rapunzel asked, Eugene's explanation giving her no clues.

"Well, I just don't want this to lead to something else…" Eugene mumbled, biting his lip.

"Something else? Like what?"

The young man looked away, as if his response to this had been completely yanked out from his train of thought. Finally, he looked back at her, tenderly brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Just…trust me, ok?"

As much as the princess's curiosity was begging for her to press on, he _had_ asked her to trust him, and she was going to respect that. "O—Ok."

"But, hey," Eugene directed her face towards his, his playful, familiar grin creeping right back on his face. "Don't think for a second it was you. To be honest, I quite enjoyed it."

Rapunzel smiled. "You weren't too bad yourself, Fitzherbert."

"Y'know," Eugene groaned as he lazily stretched, and Rapunzel scooted off of him so he could sit up next to her. "After tomorrow, I'm not going to be the only Fitzherbert around here."

"No, you're not, are you?" Rapunzel smiled, staring off into space, as she hadn't thought of that before. _Rapunzel Fitzherbert_. As much as everybody had teased Eugene for that name as a child, the princess couldn't think of a more wonderful one to accompany her own.

Shifting so he could be comfortable, Eugene put a tender arm around Rapunzel's shoulder, which she responded to by snuggling even closer to him. It was like that they sat, as they had those many dark nights in the jail cell, although this time they were surrounded by regal curtains and gorgeous castle walls. But to Rapunzel, it didn't really matter. Anywhere with him was perfect.

Suddenly, the young woman let out a small yawn, and Eugene rubbed her shoulder, smiling softly in return.

"But I think _this_ Fitzherbert needs to get to sleep," he chuckled. "It's been a long day of recovering, and waiting, and pulverizing boyfriends with pillows…"

Rapunzel giggled as Eugene stood up from the bed, still continuing.

"…Not to mention, watching macho men bash snobby princes in the nose…"

"Just give me a hug, you goofball."

"With pleasure," Eugene smiled, and Rapunzel crawled over to him on the bed, propping herself up on her knees so she could hug him. He embraced her tenderly, kissing the top of her forehead gently. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"I love you most."

With one last affectionate brush of her hair, Eugene walked to the doorway, turning to face her with a smile one last time before he left.

"Oh, and by the way," he added with a grin, "love the locket."

Rapunzel giggled slightly as she closed the door, rearranging the crazy mess of pillows back on her bed and finally nestling herself under the covers. Pascal, who had scurried to the safety of her nightstand by her bed, teasingly raised his eyebrows at her.

"Oh, stop it," the princess chuckled, playfully brushing him off. The chameleon's gesture only sent her mind back racing to the intimate encounter only a few minutes before, and the sheer thought of it made her heart practically melt inside of her chest. Even though the whole improperness of the whole situation had cut their special moment short, Rapunzel hoped with all her heart and soul that after the appeal tomorrow, they could be lost in moments like that for the rest of their magical time together.

And as she closed her eyes, drifting off into slumber, only one thought crossed through her mind.

_Rapunzel Fitzherbert…_

Yes, that had a very nice ring to it.

O-O-O-O-O

"Now, settle down, everyone, let's let this meeting come to order…So we can get back to some of our more _important _business."

The look the curly-haired, mustached councilman gave Eugene at those words was enough to make Rapunzel's skin crawl.

The moment had finally arrived—The council meeting. And as much as she had been looking forward to it, Rapunzel was starting to have a few second thoughts about her appeal. After all, if she had known she was going to feel like a tiny bug surrounded by dozens of frogs of council-people…At least she had Eugene's hand to hold, as much as it seemed to upset the council members if she dared even _looked_ at him, let alone held his hand.

"Now, your majesties," the same councilman that had spoken previously now directed his words to Rapunzel's parents. "Since the departure of the prince of Crepacuore, it's been in the council's best interests to discuss the punishment—"

"We're not here to discuss _punishment_," King Edward stated promptly. "We're here to discuss my daughter, if that's all right with you."

The curly-haired man looked baffled for a moment, and then hesitantly sat back down. Rapunzel looked at the King with gratitude, thankful that the father that she had only had for but a few months was standing up for her in this way.

"_This_ law," Queen Amelia was the one that spoke now, holding up a huge law book open to a specific page—Rapunzel was certain it was the marriage law, "is what we've called this meeting to speak about. Prince Robert is gone. And with it, we believe the law should be, too."

"Just because the law was abolished in Crepacuore," a sturdily built councilman with short-cut grey hair stated, "does not mean that we should automatically discard it here. That was a Crepacuorian matter, Prince Robert's own doing, and has nothing to do with—"

"It has _everything_ to do with us!" Queen Amelia broke in. "I'm not sure if you all have noticed, but all the tortures our daughter's had to endure for the past few weeks have been due to _this rule_. She's been abused, both verbally and nearly physically by your so-called 'suitor', suffered a massive bout of depressive behavior, and was even _kidnapped_ and nearly _killed_ because your 'fitting prince' was nothing but a pathetic coward!"

Rapunzel was stunned and amused at the same time. Her mother usually didn't throw around demeaning words like that, but for Robert, Rapunzel felt it was perfectly fitting.

"If I recall correctly," the grey-haired man continued, "your highness, _you_ were the one who chose the suitor, and even so, despite all these transgressions by Prince Robert, you would rather have a _criminal_—"

"Don't call him a criminal!"

Rapunzel froze as all eyes in the room snapped to her, including those of the very perturbed council-people. The contempt in their gazes was enough to make her immediately fall silent, that is, until Eugene gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

"He—He didn't do anything wrong," Rapunzel continued, mustering up as much courage as she could. "Sure, before coming to the castle, he was a thief. We all know that. But can't you see he's changed? And besides, he _has_ been punished! Did you guys hear about his—"

"Whipping? Yes, we've been informed," the curly-haired mustached man said disdainfully, apparently regaining his confidence seeing as he was simply speaking with an eighteen-year-old, albeit a princess. "But that was not our decision; therefore we cannot take the blame for—"

"I'm not _blaming _you," Rapunzel shook her head, "but that's all you ever seem to do to Eugene! Blame, blame, blame—You blame him for everything! You blamed him for the crown that he didn't even steal. You wouldn't even take my word for it that it was all a misunderstanding! Why can't you just put his past aside for a moment and _please_…Just, please look at him for who he really is? He—He saved my life, after all! Multiple times now. You can't just toss that all aside."

The council fell silent for a moment, a few members muttering amongst themselves.

"Listen to her," King Edward nodded. "She knows what she's talking about." The older man then smiled softly at his daughter, who returned the expression, newfound confidence surging through her.

The murmuring went on a little bit longer, and a shimmer of hope flashed through Rapunzel. Perhaps…perhaps this was a good sign? Suddenly, one of the council members rose to their feet.

"I…um, hate to point it out…" the one that stood, an older woman with an extremely tight grey bun, spoke up. "But, from what we've observed, it seems the King and Queen are showing a bias towards this situation."

Rapunzel's face immediately fell.

"Which, might I add, is mentioned in that very book," the curly haired, mustached man mentioned smugly, gesturing to the Queen's law book. "It plainly says, if a bias is evident, the council is free to overrule the monarchy in some cases…"

"Which reminds me," a bald man with beady eyes added, "we haven't decided on Fitzherbert's punishment for attacking the prince of Crepacuore."

"_What?_" Rapunzel immediately shrieked, and all the livid glares in the room snapped to her once again.

"We only work for justice, princess," a tall man with a nose like a crow's beak said.

"Justice? Justice is fair!" Rapunzel screamed. "This isn't fair at all!"

"This is an _outrage_!" King Edward joined in, his wife furiously drilling a hole through the council member with her eyes.

"What is _wrong with you?_" Queen Amelia cried out. "He saved my daughter! Why can't you get that through your heads?"

"I…I guess…" the tall, crow-nosed man shrugged. "We _could_ take that into account…"

_Oh, really? _Rapunzel thought, but the council members were already debating amongst themselves, too engrossed to notice her furious eyes. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they ended muttering amongst themselves, and turned to face the royal figures, the princess, and Eugene.

"Fine," the curly-haired man said through gritted teeth, "We've decided Rider's been through punishment enough."

"_Fitzherbert_," Rapunzel spat, still disgusted with them.

"And the law?" Queen Amelia asked.

The whole room fell dead silent, and it seemed as if every individual in the room simultaneously held their breath. Suddenly, the mustached man's disdainful face morphed into one of superior satisfaction, and Rapunzel's heart dropped into her stomach at the sight of it.

"Let's not get too pushy, now, shall we?" he added. "Ri…_Fitzherbert_ is free to go. I suggest you take advantage of that. And as for you, Princess," he turned, his grin sickening, to the gaping-mouth princess. "I suppose we can find you a new suitor by the end of the week…How does that sound?"

The councilman's only reply was the vicious slam of the throne-room doors, as the princess had already bolted furiously from the room.

* * *

><p><strong>The ending seems...Abrupt. Nyeh.<strong>

**Oh, well. I hope you enjoyed it, nonetheless. No review replies, I'm sorry-I've gotten a BAJILLION for the last chapter. But I still want to say I appreciate you guys' reviews SO much. Thanks for sticking with me through all the waiting... :') You don't know how much that means to me!**

**More soon! Thanks again!**

**Luv ya!**

**-Sheep1215**


	26. Butterflies

**I. Cannot. Believe this.**

**Besides the epilogue (and acknowledgements), this is the FINAL chapter of ATRM. Oh, my goober, I cannot BELIEVE it's come this far. Or been this long... :S**

**Sorry about the uber long update period again.**

**I'm not gonna ramble on long in this A/N, (mostly cause I don't have much to talk about) but before we begin, I just wanna thank you all for reading, sticking with me, and all your marvelous reviews! I'm really sorry I didn't get to do replies this time around, but I might send out a few messages later. But DO know that, even if I don't respond, I have read ALL your reviews. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. Even the ones that just say ":)" or "cool" or "CHEEEEEESECAKE :D" (which, by the way, didn't happen, but that would be epic...), I look at them all. And I appreciate every single one of them. Thank you, THANK YOU. All of you. SOOOOOOOOOO much.**

**Well, you guys have waited long enough, so I'm going to stop talking and let you guys get to reading!**

**Sheep1215: *having a mental breakdown* PLEASE! I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE REAL CHAPTER AFTER THIS ONE! PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE GIVE ME THE RIGHTS TO TANGLED! I'M RUNNING OUT OF !**

**Disney Worker: *skeptical glare***

**Sheep1215: Desperate times call for desperate measures...**

***Deep breath***

**TELL THEM HOW IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**

**AM DEFYYYYYYYYYING GRAVITYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY**

**KISS ME GOODBYYYYYYYYYYEEEEE**

**I'M DEFYYYYYYYYING GRAVITYYYYYYYY-**

**Disney Worker: How is singing music from Wicked ATROCIOUSLY going to make me want to give you the documents to Tangled?**

**Sheep1215: It's not.**

**However, my moose Gerard just stole them from you.**

**Disney Worker: D: *looks to see Gerard running off with Tangled document***

**Sheep1215: *laughs maniacally* *runs after Gerard* I DID IT! I HAVE IT! IT'S MINE! I-**

**Gerard: *swallows document***

**Sheep1215: *face shatters into a billion pieces***

**Sorry...Still don't own Tangled...Or Wicked. :P**

**And I've been too busy getting my face repaired to come up with a chapter song. Any suggestions?**

* * *

><p>It was hours before Queen Amelia finally found her daughter, though, looking back on it, she probably should have looked there sooner. But perhaps it was good that Rapunzel had had some alone time, because when the queen stumbled upon her daughter in the library, it certainly looked like she had made use of it.<p>

Books were strewn all across the table she sat at; law books, Queen Amelia noted—she could tell by the ones that lay propped open on some random page, their aged spines facing upward as the pages kissed the table, as if Rapunzel had just completely given up on them mid-read. However, when Queen Amelia looked at her daughter, hunched in one of the table's chairs and hidden behind a curtain of brown hair, she noticed that the worn, gold-lettered volume in the princess's hands was _not_ one of law.

_The Tales of Flynnegan Rider._

A small sigh escaped Queen Amelia's lips, and she couldn't help but walk forward and gently embrace her daughter, who gave a slight jolt at the unexpected presence of another.

"I'm sorry," Queen Amelia apologized quickly, letting go of her daughter's frame.

Rapunzel smiled comfortingly, though it did nothing to mask the blatant sadness in her eyes.

"It's ok," she sighed, gently closing the book and sliding it onto the table. "I just…guess I needed an escape from reality." The princess sighed again, shutting her eyes. "It's just too bad I always have to come back…"

A wave of sympathy crashed over the queen, and she stationed herself in a nearby chair, rubbing her daughter's shoulder comfortingly. Sure, there had been times in Amelia's life when she had felt just like Rapunzel, but never under circumstances like this.

That meeting with the council had gone, well, she wouldn't even call it _badly_, no, that wasn't a strong enough word…More like the complete _opposite_ of what she and King Edward had had in mind. Queen Amelia finally came to the conclusion that, at this point, arguing with the council was completely pointless. She didn't have any idea how anyone could be so unsympathetic, so stubborn-minded…To claim they enforce justice, and yet be the most unfair individuals Amelia had ever had the misfortune of knowing. It was ridiculous.

And the worst thing? Well, if she hadn't realized it already, there was _nothing_ the queen could do. Sure, she and Edward could fire some of them or something, but by the point the time restrains concerning letting go of individual council members lifted, it would probably already be too late—No doubt the council would already have assigned her a new suitor by then, and with the monarchy's luck the committee would be shoving Rapunzel down the aisle with Robert number two the first chance they got.

She'd known it for what seemed like forever—In the back of Queen Amelia's mind, it had always lingered that there was honestly _no_ way out of this situation. She just had always had trouble coming to grips with it. But maybe now….Maybe now was the time…

_No_. She had made a promise. And Amelia fully intended to keep that promise.

Without a moment's hesitation, Queen Amelia adjusted her chair so it was stationed right next to Rapunzel's, up against the table, and seated herself next to her daughter, reaching forward and gently picking up one of the law books. Without a word, she opened to one of the pages on laws concerning the royal family and began to read, only to have Rapunzel reach forward for a hefty law book of her own. The queen stopped her, placing a silent gloved hand upon her daughter's and shaking her head with a soft smile. Tenderly, she redirected the princess's hand to the Flynnegan Rider book, laying the young woman's hand upon the worn, faded brown cover.

"Let me worry about these," Queen Amelia smiled, lifting her huge book slightly. "If you're going to read anything, read this." She tapped the adventure novel fondly. "The last thing you need is more stress on your hands, honey."

"But I want to help—"

"And you are," the queen comforted. "It makes me feel a lot better knowing that you're getting an escape from all this, even if it's only a minor one. Trust me—This," she ran a soft finger over the worn and rigid edge of the cover, "would help me a lot more than knowing you're torturing your poor mind with the fiftieth reading of one of these." She patted a fat black law book, though in all reality Amelia wished she could forget every ladylike teaching she'd ever received and just pound that wretched book into the table.

With a nod of understanding, Rapunzel accepted the adventure novel with a quiet "ok." She opened the book back to where she had been reading, and Queen Amelia's eyes travelled back to the passage she had been scanning. The room became silent for quite some time, broken only by the occasional turning of pages, but even then Amelia found it excruciatingly hard to concentrate. Her eyes kept flitting back to Rapunzel, and though her gaze was lost in the book, the varnish of depression within them was unmistakable, and it broke the poor mother's heart.

Finally, when Amelia was on approximately the four-millionth reading of the same sentence, Rapunzel let out a sigh and shut the Flynnegan Rider book, setting it back on the table while she rubbed her face.

"I just…I can't…" she sighed, her voice cracking ever so slightly. She quickly swallowed back the tears, and, clearing her throat, her voice went back to normal, though still as depressed as ever. "I can't. I—I know I should be grateful that the council let Eugene go, but—"

"Grateful?" Queen Amelia repeated in surprise, looking up from the book. "Sweetheart, is that what you're worried about?" she reached forward to kindly touch her daughter's hand. "Rapunzel, the last thing you need to feel is guilt—if anyone, they should be the ones apologizing to you, not the other way around, or you thanking them. All that they've done to you…They don't deserve it. As cruel as that sounds…They…They don't."

Rapunzel nodded, lost in thought as her vacant green orbs gazed down at the Flynnegan Rider book, almost as if she was looking straight through it.

"Just…Why can't they realize?" Rapunzel said, her voice only but a mumble. "They want me to marry some stuck-up royal. They want this to be some twisted fairy tale, just…_abandoning_ the happily ever after. Well," she picked up the adventure novel in one hand, and one of the smaller law books in the other, her rage escalating by the second. "Do they seriously think these can compare? They think, by assigning me some typical, overconfident, what they call, 'regal' excuse for a prince, Corona will become the most perfect, _'proper'_ kingdom there is. Well, you know what? None of these flawless kingdoms in fairytales have princes and princesses that _hate_ each other! The 'happily ever after' is supposed to be _happy_. And _Eugene_ makes me happy! It's not like he's a bad person anymore! In fact, he's a _hero_! _He's_ my Prince Charming. _He's_ my knight in shining armor. He's _everything_ to me, and if they can't realize that, I just—I don't—_UGH!_"

Caught up in her fury, Rapunzel dug her fingernails painfully into the cover of the law book, then, without a second thought, flung it as hard as she could across the room. Queen Amelia flinched as the volume slammed against the wall and then hit the ground with a deafening thud. She then watched in surprise as her daughter froze where she stood, eyes wide as she realized what she had just done.

"Oh…oh gosh…" she whispered, her shocked green eyes locked on the book on the floor. "I…I'm so sorry, Mother…I don't know what I just—"

"Shhh," Queen Amelia comforted, rising from her seat. She slowly walked over to her daughter's side and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Honey, don't worry about it. It's ok."

Rapunzel looked away, seeming still unsure. With one last reassuring smile and rub of her daughter's back, Amelia turned to go retrieve the book from the other side of the library. Gosh…This just completely broke her heart. Never had her daughter been so helpless…And the queen was helpless too, in this situation. It was just smothering, suffocating, like a nightmare she knew she was never going to wake up from. The sheer hopelessness of the situation was looming over her shoulder, and as she leaned down to pick up the book, having fallen on some random page, Amelia had half a mind to fling it across the room herself. That was the real torture of being queen; having to maintain some ladylike status when all she really wanted to do was—

Wait.

As her eyes flitted down to the book she had just recovered, her gaze seemed to subconsciously lock on one of the words on the page, even though in any other moment she would have overlooked it as pure insignificance. After all, it had nothing to do with marriage, but…For some reason…Her eyes were drawn to it, almost magnetically.

_Knighthood._

"_He's my Prince Charming. He's my knight in shining armor."_

Knight in shining armor.

And now it made sense.

Disregarding her daughter's odd stare completely, Amelia breathlessly dropped to her knees, all her attention on the passage before her. She earnestly scanned the page, her finger sliding beneath the sentences that made her heart slam against her chest with every word.

_The King and Queen of Corona have the right to induct any male over twenty-one years of age into knighthood, provided the monarchy see fit. The man must fit the King and Queen's standards, having shown exemplary bravery, heroism, determination, or other traits that deem them worthy of such an honorable position. Once knighted, the man is officially classified as royalty, whether he is of noble birth or not. Both the King and Queen must agree upon his knighting, however, no other royal consent is needed._

The second the final line passed Amelia's gaze, she gasped loudly, dropping the book in shock. Concerned, Rapunzel immediately rushed to her mother's side, though the queen paid her no attention, eyes wide as she gazed straight at the wall, mind racing with an intense flood of thoughts. She recalled reading this law before—she had scanned all the law books cover-to-cover, after all—however, when she had stumbled upon this law, she had quickly cast it aside as pointless. Even if Eugene _was_ royalty, Rapunzel would have still been doomed to marry Robert, seeing as the marriage law of Corona forbade Amelia from changing the assigned suitor. However, since Robert had abolished the marriage law in his _own_ kingdom, the assigned suitor rule was void because of complicating laws from Crepacuore. Now that the king and queen had to appoint their daughter a new groom, they had the ability to pick any male they wished, provided they were _royalty_…

"_Once knighted, the man is officially classified as royalty, whether he is of noble birth or not."_

Amelia's hands flew to her mouth as she let out a squeal of delight, very out-of-character for such a royal and respected adult as herself. However, right then, she didn't care about etiquette or propriety—all that was what got them into this situation in the first place. Besides, she had every right to be happy. Could…could this really be happening?

"Mother, what is it?" Rapunzel asked worriedly, kneeling at the queen's side. Amelia only responded by taking one hand from her mouth and pointing at the book, shaking her head in disbelief as a wide, breathless grin spread across her face. She watched as her daughter overturned the book, finding the section that her mother had just read. Her jade green orbs flicked back and forth across the page, and when she came to the end of the paragraph, her brow wrinkled in confusion, as if she hadn't quite comprehended what she had just read. Once again, she skimmed the paragraph, eyes narrowed as she was deep in thought. Suddenly, her eyelids snapped wide open, and her mouth gaped open in utter and complete shock.

"Oh…Oh, my gosh…" the princess breathed, her eyes locked, unblinking, on the page. Suddenly, a slight, astonished chuckle came from her, and she repeated the words again, as if she was afraid the words before her would vanish if she didn't. "Oh, my gosh…"

Amelia removed the hand from her mouth, revealing an astounded grin to match her eyes, which were sparkling with delight. Not a second later, Rapunzel whirled around at lightning speed, her mouth gaping in a smile of sheer disbelief, and she gave her mother a look as if the whole realization before her was just a hallucination. A subtle, almost unnoticeable nod from Queen Amelia, and those fears were immediately cast away. Amelia watched as her daughter's questioning gaze morphed into the biggest grin she'd ever seen on the teenager, and, without warning, the brown-haired princess rocketed herself into her mother's arms, nearly bowling her over.

The next few minutes were full of laughter, tears, and one of the tightest hugs that Queen Amelia had ever received. When it finally ended, Rapunzel's face radiated an awestruck glow that Amelia was sure mirrored her own.

"Oh, Mother…" Rapunzel gasped. "I—I can't believe…" she shook her head, letting out a slight chuckle in the process. "I mean, I remember reading that law before, countless times even, but that wouldn't even work because I was stuck with—"

"—Robert," Queen Amelia finished, still piecing it all together herself. "But now…"

"…Now…" Rapunzel repeated, and for a moment, both of them were at a loss for words. Suddenly, Rapunzel once again embraced her mother in a tight hug, which Amelia quickly returned.

"Thank you," Rapunzel whispered, and Amelia could practically _feel_ the gratitude radiating off of her daughter. "For keeping your promise. For helping me. For _everything_. I love you so much, Mother."

"And I love you, too," Amelia responded, lightly stroking the princess's hair. "And I'm so proud of you…"

Before Amelia could stop herself, the tears were already cascading down her cheeks, and Rapunzel, feeling them upon her shoulder, drew back and wiped away a tear of her own. "Mother…You're crying again…"

"What else did you expect?" Amelia smiled, wiping the tears away from the bottom of her own jade eyes. "My baby girl…she's getting married."

"Getting married…" Rapunzel repeated, looking off into the distance. "Married…" her gaze abruptly snapped to the queen, her grin once again ear-to-ear as her hands joyously flew to her face. "I'm getting _married!_"

Without warning, Rapunzel scurried joyously to her feet, her bare heels pounding against the ground as she raced out of the library, and Amelia couldn't help but laugh at the near inhuman squeal her daughter emitted as soon as she burst from the room. Gosh…she loved that girl.

Wiping the remaining tears from her eyes, Queen Amelia picked up the abandoned law book, flipping once again to the page on knighthood. Tenderly, she stroked the letters of the worn page, a newly shed tear dampening the page right next to the paragraph. All anger towards the book had vanished, and the empty space had been flooded with indescribable joy. Taking one last second to let it all seep in, Queen Amelia closed the book, holding it fondly to her chest.

Knight in shining armor…

Well, now this princess was finally about to get the happily ever after she deserved.

When Rapunzel had first heard the term "butterflies in your stomach," she thought it was the most outlandish thing she had ever heard. Nervousness, maybe. Anxiety? Sure. But no person in their right mind went around eating butterflies. Even for someone as imaginative as she, the thought just felt…weird.

But if this butterfly thing really was the case, she must have swallowed a whole jar of them.

However, the anxiousness she felt wasn't like the usual nervousness she had often felt in the pit of her stomach, especially recently. This was…a different kind of butterfly. The kind that, at the beginning of the day, hid in the back of your mind, only to ambush right at the worst moment and fall victim to an awful spasm in your stomach. However, after a while, they almost seemed to…merge with your bloodstream. Give you their wings. And then…then you were flying.

It was nearly impossible to explain.

But, as unexplainable as it was, that was exactly how the princess felt, standing right next to her parents on the raised platform right outside of the castle—the sun-adorned one where Rapunzel had first met her real parents, right next to the huge circle used especially for public events. And this, _definitely_, was a public event—the number of people that had showed up nearly made the poor girl's heart stop. Royal officials, servants, and even the council themselves were stationed in their assigned points of the raised circle, and below them, an astronomical number of commoners. Some Rapunzel recognized, others she had never seen before in her life. All she could tell was that there were what seemed like _millions_ of them, and she was completely petrified. She had no clue why, though. After all, what was about to occur in the next few minutes would be the most monumental, wonderful, incredible moment of her life.

Eugene would finally be hers.

He wouldn't be at the mercy of the guards, or the streets, or even that horrendous council. After nearly a week of waiting since her incredible discovery, Eugene would finally become a _knight_. _A royal_. _A prince._

_Her_ prince.

As soon as her mother had found the passage on knighthood, Rapunzel had immediately run off to tell Eugene. That moment was one of the most amazingly joyous ones of her life, and as Eugene had picked her up and spun her around with joy, all she had been able to think of was all the days that he would be able to do that to her, all the months she would be in his wonderful arms, all the years that they would be _one_. And after nearly a week of waiting, that started _today._

There was no way possible on the entire planet that she would _ever_ be able to express her gratitude to her parents. Normally, preparing for something as important as a man's knighthood took weeks of preparation, but by some kind of miracle, the King and Queen had been able to arrange Eugene's ceremony for within the wretched week that the council had been planning to assign her a new suitor. Well, really thinking about it, they really _would_ be getting their wish after all, wouldn't they? Rapunzel _would_ be getting a royal as a suitor—exactly what they wanted. Though, by the looks on their faces, no average person would ever be able to tell. Their scornful looks gave Rapunzel chills, but she quickly looked away, taking solace in the fact that, for once, the tables were turned, and there was nothing that the council could do this time around.

Besides, any second now, the ceremony would begin. Eugene would walk out those doors, kneel before her father, and in just a short time, the man that she treasured with all her heart and soul would finally be free from those laws, the scorn, and everything else that went along with it. He would be completely _free._ They both would be.

The butterflies were having an acrobatics competition now.

Suddenly, she felt a gloved hand slip into hers, and she looked to her left to see her mother give her a comforting smile, obviously sensing her anxiety. Rapunzel smiled thankfully back at the queen, her mother's comforting gesture causing Rapunzel to start to feel a little bit better.

Then the trumpets sounded.

In that instant, Rapunzel's breath came to an abrupt halt in her throat, and she gripped her mother's hand so tightly that she was concerned for a second that she might have hurt it. Her gaze snapped to the door, where the line of trumpeters was stationed, and she swallowed, knowing very well what was going to occur next.

"Presenting," one of the trumpeters announced, Rapunzel's heart thudding with every word, "Mr. Eugene Fitzherbert!"

And when those doors opened, her heart froze altogether.

There, standing at the very entrance to the doors, was Eugene; _Her_ Eugene, looking more handsome than she had ever seen him before in his life. His handsome brown hair was combed satisfactorily, yet not to such a pristine perfection that he lost his rugged charm. Instead of his usual shirt-and-vest combo, the young man was now donned in an exquisite white suit—Rapunzel was sure that she had never seen a purer white fabric before—Complete with the Coronian crest right aside his collar, connected to an extremely regal looking sash. And those _eyes._ Those gorgeous, perfect, wonderful eyes glowed with an amber brilliance that they had been deprived of for _so_ long. If he was nervous, he certainly didn't show it, walking with a respectfully humbled air yet held-together confidence that sent Rapunzel's heart soaring. If anyone was worthy of being prince, it was no one but Eugene.

Once again, the trumpets sounded, and Eugene stepped forward in time with them, Rapunzel's heart fluttering in tune with the butterflies as the young man moved closer and closer to her and her parents. She could sense the council's furious gazes drilling straight into them, but at this point, she didn't care. This was his moment. And as nervous as she was, Rapunzel knew it was going to be perfect.

More perfect than _any_ fairy tale.

Every single eye was on Eugene Fitzherbert as he stopped before the king, who stepped forward to acknowledge him, sword in hand. With a mutual nod between the two men, Rapunzel saw Eugene swallow, take in a deep breath, and then slowly drop to his knees, staring respectfully down at the ground.

"Eugene Fitzherbert," the King addressed him, his tone both authoritative yet welcoming, "you are here today to be conferred the honor of becoming a knight, because we," he looked back at his family with a warm smile, "_all of us_, believe you to be worthy due to your exemplary bravery and astounding heroism. However, there _are_ some things we must hear from you before we appoint you with such a coveted position."

"Of course," Eugene responded, Rapunzel watching him intently. "Anything, your majesty."

"Do you, Mr. Fitzherbert," the King asked, "swear under oath to only speak the truth, and show bravery and loyalty to this, our kingdom of Corona?"

"I do."

"Do you pledge never to avoid dangerous paths out of fear, but rather, keep the wellbeing and safety of those in need before your own?"

"Yes, sir."

"And do you solemnly swear to always protect a lady, no matter what the cost?"

Eugene lifted his head ever so slightly, looking straight at Rapunzel with a small smile.

"With my life, Your Majesty."

"Then, Mr. Fitzherbert," King Edward nodded, readying his sword, "it is with great pleasure that I, King Edward of Corona, hereby knight you _Sir_ Eugene Fitzherbert, and trust that you will display your spectacular courage and admirable selflessness towards this kingdom _and_ our family," the older man smiled ever so slightly, "for years to come."

It was then that time stopped for Rapunzel, and she stopped, unable to breathe, as her father gently laid the sword Eugene's right shoulder, and then his left, and then, sheathing the weapon, turned to face the crowd.

"Presenting—Sir Eugene Fitzherbert!"

And then the applause.

Oh, gosh, the applause. That thunderous noise…It positively melted Rapunzel's heart. To think that this man that they had scorned for so long…Cast aside as an orphan, _a thief_, with no hope for his life whatsoever, now they were _clapping…cheering…_for him. For _him_.

And no one was more proud of him than she was.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Rapunzel just couldn't hold herself back anymore. It was then that the butterflies finally transferred their wings, and the princess practically flew into Eugene's arms as he stood, nearly knocking him over. She nestled as close to his chest as she could, wrapping her arms around his neck, entwining her fingers in his hair, and just taking in every bit of him. She felt the tears spring to her eyes as his strong arms returned her embrace, and as the thunderous applause continued, she couldn't help but laugh, sinking into his suit even more. This was _it_. All those weeks of torture…of helplessness…of fear…It was _gone_. As hard as it was to believe, it was _gone_. No more council, no more loopholes, no more worries, just _them_. The princess, and her knight. Soon to be prince.

Soon to be _hers_.

"I love you so much, Eugene," Rapunzel beamed, gazing up straight at him through her tears of joy. "_Sir_ Eugene Fitzherbert."

"I love you more," Eugene chuckled, brushing a chocolate lock of hair from her eyes. "_Mrs. _Rapunzel Fitzherbert."

The princess's only reply to that was rocketing up and kissing him, which sent the whole crowd into a wild shout and only sent the cheering to a near deafening level. Closing her eyes, she felt herself lifting as he returned the kiss, caressing her face, holding her close, and not bothering to hold back all of the passion that they had both been restricted from for far too long. She was his, he was hers, and things were _perfect_.

And it was then Rapunzel knew that happily ever after didn't even come _close_ to expressing this ending.

* * *

><p><strong>D'AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!<strong>

**lol**

**See, I'm not a TOTALLY heartless soul!**

**Hope that fit you guys' standards and it was enjoyable! I tried to be accurate... :P**

**Thanks SO much for reading! One more REAL chapter left, so don't forget to review!**

**Love you guys all SO much!**

**-Sheep1215**


	27. Names

**Hello, humans.**

**You probably don't remember me, but my name is Sheep1215.**

**I wrote a little story called All That Really Mattered.**

**And I haven't updated in five months.**

**So here is the final chapter.**

**You've all been waiting.**

**I've been slacking.**

**And you you can begin reading.**

**Enjoy.**

**(MORE AT THE END BECAUSE I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY)**

**I have now come to grips with the fact that I don't own Tangled.**  
><strong>Because like a horrible torturer I haven't updated for five months.<strong>  
><strong>I don't deserve it.<strong>  
><strong>I'm going to go eat ice cream and cry now.<strong>

**Chapter Song: "This I Promise You" by...N*Sync. Now I know the whole world is going to judge me so I really need to find that ice cream.**

* * *

><p>The dew hung fresh on the edges of the massive window, the newly-birthed rays of the morning sun glinting off of the shimmering glass pane. A pair of amber eyes watched it intently, eyes flitting to a drop near the top of the very lip of the arch. The slight Spring breeze was causing it to quiver, struggling to break from the cluster of other dewdrops that refused to set it free. However, a gust of wind gave the little droplet strength, and it finally escaped, streaming down the glass almost if the window itself was crying tears of celebration. The young man observing watched it go down…down…Until it had almost neared the bottom. But instead of reaching its demise by dropping to the grass below, it was saved quite unexpectedly by another little misty drop, which seemed to almost reach out to its rescue. Smiling slightly, the vested onlooker watched as the two merged together, now completely stationary in their current position. There was no quivering, no struggling, and no fear of falling. It was just…Them two, only…One.<p>

Eugene still couldn't believe it had been over two whole years since he was that dewdrop.

A life of thievery—He had pretty much known that was going to be his destiny ever since he took his first step out of that orphanage. No more begging, no more waiting…And no more dreaming. All except for one thing: He was going to take the world by storm as a bandit. Be so renowned that he would become rich from his craft. _Filthy_ rich. Dubbing himself as Flynn Rider at the time was going to be the smartest decision of his pathetic, orphaned life. And in just a few years time, he knew exactly where he'd be: Tanning under the tropical sun, watching the seabreeze fan through _his_ palm trees—sweep up _his_ sandy shores—and the only sounds filling his ears being the lapping of the waves and the clinking of the multitude of coins between his fingers as he counted them all…Ah, who was he kidding? He wouldn't be able to count all of his cash in a lifetime! That's how much he'd have. Sure, it was definitely going to be tough: it would take an agonizingly long period of practice time, plus, it'd probably end him with more than just a few scrapes and bruises—Heck, there was even a chance that his attempt to steal could steal away his life. But still, if all went well, it would undoubtedly pay off. He'd be invincible…Unstoppable…Incredible…

And…

And…

Well, he wouldn't be here.

Eugene sighed pensively, leaving his spot at the window, though his mind was still far off as he wandered through the halls of the castle. _His_ castle. The words still lingered oddly in his mind, though now he didn't reflect upon them with a sense of pride, but rather, with one of humility. Something so magnificent and wondrous—Not only the castle, but the whole entire kingdom itself—would someday be under his watchful eye. Even now, he still had a huge field of responsibility, being the royal he now was, after being appointed those two short years ago.

Prince Eugene Fitzherbert.

One thing that Eugene was adept at was adapting to a change in a name. After all, he had been Flynn Rider for _how many _years? Eventually, it got to a point where, when someone addressed him as Eugene, he completely disregarded them, or didn't even notice them at all. And then, once again, he had to go through the process of readjusting to a new identity. After he had rescued Rapunzel, his old title had been cast aside, and his childhood title regained. And then, just a year or so after _that_, he gained his third alteration in his identity: _Prince_ Eugene Fitzherbert.

But, surprisingly, even that change in name was not the most baffling title in Eugene's book. Sure, being addressed as a prince was nothing short of drastic, but there was one more label—one more name—that made his heart skip a beat every time he heard it. So much so, that he was certain that he would probably never get used to it. And that name was—

_"Daddy!"_

Eugene whirled around at the tiny voice behind him, just in time to have an elfin blur of orange zoom towards him and sail into his arms. The prince laughed, hoisting the little figure up into the air almost immediately, and the child squealed as he affectionately whirled her around, her sunset orange dress flying out wildly behind her.

"Hey, kid!" Eugene smiled, pulling the little girl in close. "What are you up to? Getting into trouble? _Without me?_" his jaw dropped melodramatically, and, supporting the child with his other arm, he slapped his free hand against his cheek in fake dismay. "I'm _shocked! _How could you?"

The little girl giggled, cupping her two tiny hands over her mouth and shaking her head. "_No_, Daddy! I'm not in trouble! I had to ask you a question!"

"Well, ask away, princess," Eugene chuckled, abandoning the overdramatic expression. "What's up?"

The little girl looked up at him, her big hazel eyes curious and inquisitive. She then fumbled with the meticulously woven black braid that flowed from the back of her head, trying to remember just exactly she was proposing a question towards. Eugene once again tumbled into the void of lost thought just looking at her, his daughter. _Their_ daughter.

Rapunzel had always wanted children—she had made that perfectly clear. However, had been Eugene's idea to adopt, and he now noted it as one of the smartest decisions of his life. After all, if he and Rapunzel hadn't visited the orphanage that one day a few months after their marriage, they never would have met that bubbly little toddler with the big hazel eyes. They never would have been able to welcome her into their home, or watch her grow into the bright little girl she was already becoming…

…Heck, if they hadn't gone, Eugene probably would have never been holding their little Grace in his arms right then.

"Um," Grace spoke up, and Eugene snapped back to reality, "I remember now. Uh, Daddy?"

"Yes?"

The little girl stretched her neck out, and Eugene looked down at her, confused. Her tiny hand beckoned down to him, and then she quickly put it aside her mouth. "It's a secret," she whispered, "an—And I don't want Mommy to hear."

Eugene grinned. This ought to be good. Smiling, he put his ear down next to the little girl's mouth, and her tiny hand created the wall between her lips, his ear, and the outside world.

"Why does Mommy keep calling you 'Eugene?'" she asked. "Your name is Daddy!"

Eugene chuckled, which seemed to baffle the little girl even more. However, Eugene quickly went into his explanation, in order to reassure her she hadn't said anything wrong.

"Well, Gracie," Eugene clarified, "Mommy and I are married. And I am _your_ daddy. I'm not Mommy's daddy. Just yours. So, that's what you call me. My real name is Eugene. But you call me Daddy."

"But that's your name!" Grace persisted.

"Eugene?"

"No, Daddy."

Eugene chuckled. "That's only my name for you, because I'm your daddy."

"'Cause I call you daddy?"

"No, I'm your daddy because I'm your daddy!"

"But that's your name!"

"No," Eugene tried again, a big smile on his face. "My name for you is Daddy. But what's my _real_ name?"

Grace fell silent for a moment, her brow crinkled in contemplation. She stared up at the ceiling, her toddler mind racing as she thought long and hard. Finally, her gaze went back to her father, and she answered without any ounce of uncertainty.

"Mr. Daddy."

Eugene couldn't help but laugh at that one.

"What?" the little girl asked, completely genuine. But eventually, she succumbed to her father's contagious laughter, and began giggling herself, though Eugene knew that she probably didn't even know what she was laughing about. Her innocence was so wonderful in his eyes, and, during moments like this, just plain hilarious.

"I hope you two aren't laughing about me again!"

Eugene stopped short in his laugh at the sound of that familiar voice, and, still smiling, he whirled around to greet his wife, who was walking towards him with a suspicious smile on her face. Her daughter—Their daughter—was still giggling behind her two tiny palms, and, like the little monkey she was, arched backwards over her father's strong arms to get an interesting new perspective at her young brunette mother.

"Hi, Mommy," she smiled, her black braid flopping underneath her upside-down head. Eugene grinned down at her, and, seizing the perfect opportunity, tickled her stomach with a flurry of spider-like finger movements. Grace jolted up immediately, letting out a shriek of laughter and gripping her tiny midsection, and Princess Rapunzel laughed at the sight of her joyous daughter, whose face was beet red—Half from hanging upside down and half because of her father's relentless tickling.

"Eugene, at least let her _breathe!_" Rapunzel laughed, bopping her husband playfully on the shoulder. "You goof!"

"Y—yeah, Daddy—" Grace yelped between giggles, "—B—Because if you—don't—I might—_Explode!_"

Eugene laughed, finally ending the ticklish torture. For some reason, Grace had originated her own theory that, if a person held their breath for too long, they would explode into a pile of confetti. In Eugene's opinion, the little squirt would end up bursting into a pile of cookies, considering all the ones she had swiped from the kitchen in her short little lifetime. Yep, she was his kid alright.

And _man_, he loved her so much.

Grace's giggles fizzled but her beaming smile remained, and she directed it to her mother, whom Eugene promptly deposited his little bundle towards.

Rapunzel giggled as her daughter wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, and the princess gave Eugene "the look". "Well, well, _your majesty,_ I see we're getting work done, alright."

Eugene tugged slightly on his vest and flashed her a roguish grin. "_Work?_ What work? That measly stuff? Why, I simply cleared my throat and it was gone!" he poked her nose affectionately. "Unlike _some_ people, I don't take an eternity to do a five minute job."

"Oh, really, now," Rapunzel countered with a smile, and Eugene flinched as her finger made contact with _his_ nose, "well, unlike _some_ people, _I_ actually _do_ work, instead of fantasizing that I did it. For all _you_ know, the whole kingdom could be getting devoured by trolls right now!"

"_Grarg!_" Grace's troll-like input was duly noted.

"Trolls, huh?" Eugene chuckled. "Next time I'll see one, I'll let him know you mentioned him."

Rapunzel smirked. "No need. I'm looking at one right now."

"Ooh, Blondie," Eugene chuckled. "Cold…"

Rapunzel rolled her eyes, stepping closer to him. "But that's ok," she smiled. "You're my troll."

And with that, she stood up on her tiptoes—Her bare tiptoes—And kissed him fondly on the lips.

Eugene barely had time to return her kiss before a juvenile "_Ewwwwwwwww!"_ emitted from their daughter. With a laugh, the young man turned his attention to the little girl, placing a hand on her head and mussing her already ruffled black hair. "Just you wait, kid. That'll be you soon enough."

Grace's response was a face of pure disgust, similar to the face one might give an especially revolting troll if they had seen it in passing.

Eugene retaliated by sticking his tongue out at his daughter, then sticking his hands under her arms and swooping her upward. Rapunzel smiled as the little girl squealed, and Eugene moved his hands to her ankles as soon as he felt the tiny weight safely on his shoulders, and her petite hands running through his hair.

"I would say you have work to do," Rapunzel shook her head. "But you two are having too much fun."

"Thanks for understanding, Blondie—"

"I'm still mad at you."

Eugene's gaze flitted to his wife, confused. "What? Why?"

Rapunzel rolled her eyes playfully, crossing her arms at him. "Because you didn't invite me."

Before Eugene could respond, the little girl on his shoulders piped up. "Oh, well, you can come, Mommy! We're gonna go on an adventure!" she leaned down to look into her father's eyes, and Eugene chuckled as her braid whapped him lightly in the nose. "Right, Daddy?"

"An adventure, huh?" Eugene replied, looking up at her. "Well, originally, that wasn't in my agenda…" he looked at his wife, a fond smile on his face. "But I think I can squeeze one in."

Rapunzel smiled back at him, and Eugene's heart radiated with warmth at the familiar spark of spirit in his wife's jade eyes. "Same here, Eugene. Same here."

And as her hand slipped into his, Eugene once again slipped into the realm of reflection, an area that welcomed him with open arms. A sun-baked island and a few shiny coins were _nothing_ compared to what he had now: A beautiful wife—a _princess—_who, through thick and thin, had accepted him for who he was and, in turn, shown him more love than he had ever received before in a lifetime. He had a kingdom, a title, and a purpose—He was someone important, someone people actually _cared_ about. People would look to him for guidance, and, in turn, he would give them everything he could manage, because they were to be _his_ responsibility. And, of course, he had a daughter, whom he knew he would die for in an instant, as well as strive to fill any more _minor_ needs she may require. Who cared if she wasn't _really_ their child? Adopted or none, he loved her as much—if not more—than he could ever love his own flesh and blood. She was the newest addition to his world, and he knew that his universe would flourish with both Grace and Rapunzel at its core.

Yes, life would never be a walk in the park—In all reality, no one's life ever was. As a prince, there'd be trials, there'd be scares, and yes, there'd even be the occasional Robert. But he and Rapunzel had accomplished it all, and he was certain that, no matter what, they could find a way through it once again.

"Daddy, what are you waiting for?" Grace's tiny voice broke through his thoughts. "Are we gonna go?"

Eugene peered up at her. "Of course. I was just…pausing for dramatic effect."

Eugene knew the three-year-old didn't comprehend about half of that, but apparently, she didn't care. With a little finger, she pointed forward, sitting up straight and relishing towering over her parents for once.

"Then, onward we go, Eugene!"

"_Eugene?_" Rapunzel laughed, surprised.

"Hey," Eugene grinned up at the little girl. "That's Mr. Daddy to you."

Grace covered her face with a tiny giggle, and Eugene began walking, scheming in his head what this little family "adventure" would end up being. But, in retrospect, it didn't really matter. As cliché as it sounded, Eugene was with his family—The two most important people in the world. A wife that loved him against all odds, and that he loved to the ends of the earth, as well as a daughter that made every single day a new adventure, trolls and piggyback rides or none. He had a family, a home, and love.

And that was all that really mattered.

* * *

><p><strong>A lot to say here, so bear with me.<strong>

**Writing ATRM has literally been one of the biggest experiences of my life. (MY LIFE IS BORING SOMETIMES DEAL WITH IT) And now that it's finally over...It...It's just so weird. May sound melodramatic, but it's kind of like losing a friend. And as for the five month wait, I can't tell you all how sorry I am. I'd come up with a million excuses of how busy I was and how lifeish life is, but you all are humans, and believe me, if I was a human being, I think I would be very agitated with excuses by now. I bet I have like, two followers to this story now. So...Thank you, those of you who stuck with me.**

**I love you all so much. I may not have met any of you, but I feel I have a very close connection with my readers. People who take an acutal interest in my work...It's phenomenal, knowing someone actually cares about something that came out of your mind...Something you created. It's just...**

**Bluh. Getting emotional.**

**So, I've already wasted-  
>HOLY.<br>COW.  
>I just realized.<br>This was over a year in the making.  
>Ok, now I really am going to cry.<br>Because some of you people have devoted over a year of your lives to this.  
>And I couldn't be more grateful.<strong>

**Wow.**

**Ok...**

**Like I said, I can't thank you enough. At the point of publishing this, there are 870 reviews on ATRM. When I wrote this, I was maybe expecting about 200 tops when the story was finished. This was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. With submissions to tvtropes, hellyeahtangled, and even a search suggestion on Google, this entire experience has been so humbling. My mind is blown.**

**To keep it short...Gog, I just love you all.**

**A few short notes before I sign off for good here...  
>1. AskRobert, I'm sorry to say, totally fell through. I recieved tons of wonderful-And sometimes, hilarious-questions, and it stuns me to know that an askblog for MY OC stirred up that much hubbub, but the drawinganswering proccess was just too demanding. It made me really sad to see it go, especially after such a short run. But I do appreciate everyone who sent me a question or just gave it a scan. You all are amazing. I do have an acutal tumblr now, which is "immaplatypus. tumblr. com" (without the spaces) for anyone who would like to take a look, but I do just want to give a special shout-out to AskRobert's visitors, and let you know that the blog is closed for good. Sorry. :(**

**2. I forgot what I was going to say here...**

**3. OH YEAH! You guys' fanart...It still amazes me that people did that for my story. If anyone'd like to still draw some up, I'd be happy to accept it. But I'm still in awe of all the wonderful fanart I've recieved. I stumbled across one of my older submissions the other day and it made my heart explode into cookies and confetti, because it was so adorable and it showed that people actually cared. I wanna thank you guys for that too.**

**4. I may or may not be putting up an acknowledgements chapter, even though I've done a million thank yous here. You see, there are certain people that really helped me through this, and I want to give them a special shout out, because they deserve it more than anything. **

**So yes...This really is the end.**

**I'm still going to float around fanfiction, probably, however, there are new fandoms I'd like to dabble in and new things I'd like to pursue. Like I said, even when I'm not on fanfiction, I still have the tumblr and deviantart, for anyone who'd like to pop in.**

**Thank you all, for everything. I love you all so much. :')  
><strong>

**Sincerely,  
>-Sheep1215<strong>

**P.S. I said I was over,**

**And thought that was true**

**But just needed this poem**

**Cause, guys, I love you. **


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